The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 15, 2025
Dish from Saucers with Matching Shells
1893–1914
(Japanese, 1851–1914)
Overall: 3 x 12 x 8.5 cm (1 3/16 x 4 3/4 x 3 3/8 in.)
Gift of James and Christine Heusinger 2022.188.3
Location: Not on view
Did You Know?
Each of the paired-shell dishes has its own compartment in a long, flat box.Description
Yohei III’s main output for his sophisticated clientele was in the form of tea sets and dining sets. He created a range of dishes in green glazes. He often produced in pairs, sets of five, or sets of ten.The set of five dishes with a more complex form is described as having a “water-colored glaze” (mizuiroyū). These are shaped like clam half shells, a reference to a game in which shell halves painted with narrative scenes or a variety of motifs must be matched back together by the players. The dishes have molded details to articulate the shell forms, and the crackling across each shell adds another dimension to the surface. Each dish is set on three small feet, formed by a pinched piece of clay and attached to an unglazed area on the underside of the dish. Curiously, while four of the dishes are stamped with the artist’s mark, one has instead a signature carved into the base.
- ?–2022James and Christine Heusinger, Berea, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art2022–The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Colors of Kyoto: The Seifū Yohei Ceramic Studio. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 19, 2023-March 10, 2024).
- {{cite web|title=Dish from Saucers with Matching Shells|url=false|author=Seifū Yohei III|year=1893–1914|access-date=15 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2022.188.3