ca. 1860-1865

Okuda Shinsai, (Japanese, 1821-1902)
Edo period

Stoneware with white and copper glazes
H: 25.9 W: 24.5 cm
Shigaraki, Japan

Gift of Charles Lang Freer F1898.481

Okuda Shinsai was famous both as a maker of large ceramic pieces and as a sumo wrestler. This sort of jar could be found in every Japanese home, but Shinsai's version is distinguished by the rare use of underglaze copper-red, a difficult and costly color to achieve.