Set of leaf-shaped food dishes (mukōzuke)

Japan

1660’s

Arita ware, Ko-Imari type, porcelain with overglaze enamels

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Chinese porcelain industry began to collapse in the early 1600s. In response, Japanese potters started creating porcelain wares, decorated in the Chinese manner, for the European market. By the 1660s and ’70s, however, Japanese-style shapes and designs, like leaves and folding fans, became popular among both foreign and domestic buyers. Tea masters of the time prized elegant plates such as these for use in <I>kaiseki</I>, meals served in conjunction with a tea gathering. Gallery G225 The Louis W. Hill, Jr. Fund