Mukozuke (Sweetmeat dish)

18th century

This cup would have been used to hold a small portion of food in a tea ceremony or multicourse meal (kaiseki). Its decoration is typical of wares made by the ceramicist Kenzan. The flower pattern, inspired by camellias, was created using a stenciling process. Paper cutouts in the shapes of flowers were adhered to the sides of the cups, and then green enamel was painted over the whole surface. When the cup was fired, the paper burned away, leaving the surface below unpainted. The effect is somewhat watery and imprecise, recalling paintings made by Kenzan’s brother, Ogata Kōrin, and other artists in their circle, now known as the Rimpa school.