The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of June 8, 2026

A round white porcelain jar features large peonies with raised, textured white petals and yellow centers. The flowers wrap around the vessel, flanked by dark blue leaves and stems. The spherical body widens at the middle and narrows slightly at the base, where a thin band of repeating blue patterns circles the edge. At the top, a wide opening reveals a white interior. The raised floral design provides a tactile contrast against the smooth surface.

Jar with Peonies

1897–1912

Seifū Yohei III

(Japanese, 1851–1914)
Japan, Meiji period (1868–1912)
Porcelain with underglaze blue, overglaze color enamel, molded decoration
Diameter: 26.4 cm (10 3/8 in.)
Gift of James and Christine Heusinger 2022.200.a
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Though Seifū Yohei III originally studied painting, he ultimately succeeded his ceramics mentor, Seifū Yohei II (1845–1878), in Kyoto.

Description

The petals of the large, white peonies on this jar were made by applying molded clay to the body and incising the clay with lines for definition. The flowers’ centers were then painted with yellow, along with the leaves in cobalt blue line and wash. A subtle blue gradation was also added all around the flowers using a masking method. The lid, with its treasured jewel-shaped finial, was also decorated with foliate motifs in underglaze cobalt blue. Finally, a transparent glaze was applied over the entire body of both the jar and lid. It is a special demonstration of Yohei III’s use of precision and control to create a completely balanced composition.
  • ?–2022
    James and Christine Heusinger, Berea, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    2022–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Maezaki, Shinya and Sinéad Vilbar. Colors of Kyoto: The Seifū Yohei Ceramic Studio. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2023. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 57, pp. 144–145
  • 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=Jar with Peonies|url=false|author=Seifū Yohei III|year=1897–1912|access-date=08 June 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2022.200.a