Vase decorated with coiling white dragon

A moulded three-clawed scaly dragon spirals around the entire body of this Arita vase. Under the moulded dragon decoration is a painted “wistaria-type” grass karakusa pattern with loosely composed sakura perianths and intermittent double gourd-shaped medallions with geometric ornamentation of lozenge latticework of several types, a geometric motif of waves or prunus, perianths and butterflies. The neck bears a painted decoration of perianth leaves with two types of latticework and wistaria scrollwork. The neck’s rim bears a beaded band. (See Filip Suchomel – Marcela Suchomelová, Mistrovská díla japonského porcelánu, Praha 1997, p. 167.)