Vase with Plum Blossoms

The dense, allover pattern of flowering plum, or prunus, branches on this vase resembles Japanese textile patterns. The trunks and forward-facing blossoms anchor the design, which is also filled with thinner branches and flowers ranging from round bud to full bloom, with the occasional flower facing upward or downward. As they might in a textile design, the trunks run in alternate directions up and down the surface. At the foot is a classic running design of spirals and at the neck, a collar of clouds. Although the vase has unfortunately lost its box, the glaze color is probably “water color” (mizusai). The visual effect is like that of a silk brocade, in which the pattern takes a supporting role to the color.