Vase with Radiating Black and White Stripes

無線七宝瓶

1930s

Andō Cloisonné Company 安藤七宝店

(Japanese, established late 1800s)

Culture

Japan, Shōwa period (1926–89)

Medium

Wireless enamel on metal with silver rims

Measurements

Diameter: 21.1 cm (8 5/16 in.); Overall: 29 cm (11 7/16 in.)

Credit Line

Seventy-fifth anniversary gift of Mrs. Keiko Kumita, Mr. Masaharu Nagano, and Mr. Klaus Naumann 1991.86

This artwork is known to be under copyright.

Location

Not on view

Description

Export of cloisonné enamels, in which a glassy substance is fired into patterns on a metal surface using dividing wires, was a cornerstone of Japan’s participation in the international decorative arts trade during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The country was known around the world for its technical expertise in this craft. This piece has had wires removed before firing to create a surface without borderlines, demonstrating a process called musen shippō, or “wireless enamel.”