Historical information

An example of vintage Japanese export ceramic production using European-inspired picturesque imagery. The imagery reflects the international market for romantic European pastoral scenes, which Japanese ceramic manufacturers reproduced extensively for export, and is part of a set of six.

Physical description

Round Japanese decorative bowl with a plain white rim. The central design depicts a picturesque rural landscape featuring a watermill and waterwheel, stream, large spreading tree, cottage, fields, fencing and flowering plants.
The scene is predominantly printed in black and grey, with selected areas highlighted in green, yellow, red and blue. The decoration has the appearance of a transfer-printed image with additional colour applied over the printed design.

Inscriptions & markings

"WATER MILL" "MADE IN JAPAN" "UNDERGLAZE'