Square Dish with Landscape and Pavilion Design

  • Edo period
Square Dish with Landscape and Pavilion Design

Square Dish with Landscape and Pavilion Design
These deep mountains seem to exclude human beings. The pine trees continue on and on. On the tall mountain in the distance, we see what may be a temple, with a tower and meditation hall. The atmosphere is tranquil and pure. The impressed "Shoko" square relief seal and "Toin" square intaglio seal are visible, if not too clear. Where the inner surface meets the standing rim, a square line has been drawn, defining the picture plane. The inside of the standing rim has a design of crossed diagonal lines and arabesques; a floral motif inside a cartouche and a lattice design decorate its outside.
While one may be tempted to think that the Chinese poem inscribed on the upper left was Kenzan's own composition, we know that it is a quotation from a Ming poetic anthology, the Yuanji huofa (Jp. Enki kappo), that was available in Japan at the time.