Late Ming dynasty, China (17th Century)
Donated by Satō Kiyoharu
Shichikan cerulean porcelain is a Chinese porcelain fired in Longquan kilns in Zhejiang Province, noted for its light blueish-green tint with a high level of transparency.
This incense burner is larger in size than others, and the torso section presents a latticework of rhombuses, while the handle on the upper part of the lid is shaped like a bracket fungus (known as the “10,000 year mushroom”), considered an auspicious mushroom.
The origins of “Shichikan” is theorized as having been the official title of the Chinese individual who introduced the style to Japan, although the full details are unknown.