Japan, Small Kutani porcelain dog, Meiji period (1868-1912)

Small sculpture of white Kutani porcelain with enamelled decoration representing a sat dog with long hair, the head turned to the right and the right paw raised. It wears a blue necklace with yellow, green and red motifs, on which square red pendants with white scrolled motifs are hung. The eyes, the mouth and the nose are slightly underlined with pink and black.  

Japanese work from de Meiji period (1868-1912). 

The Kutani porcelain appeared in Japan in the middle of the 17th century, in the village of Kutani. The first years, the produced ceramics were called ko-kutani, literally “old kutani” and were composed of five bright colors (blue, green, yellow, purple and red). The production brutally stopped circa 1700 for unknown reasons. A century later, the production named saiko kutani revived with five styles that succeeded to each other and that the principle technique was the kinrande with its red and gilt motifs. The last period began in the 1860’s where the Kutani porcelain knew a great recognition thanks to its exportation to Europe and its presentation at the Universal Exhibition of 1873 in Vienna. Since this time, its popularity and its development increased and today a hundred of companies still produce Kutani items by keeping traditional methods of production.