AN IMARI MODEL OF A ROISTERING DUTCHMAN seated astride a Dutch gin cask, one arm held high clutching a bottle as if to pour its alcohol into the goblet held in front of him, his coat moulded in relief and painted in iron-red, yellow, green and pale aubergine and gitl with peony and scrolling foliage, his breeches and leggings decorated with cherry blossom, the scroll base moulded and painted with a karashishi above a band of studs, his head moulded separately (feet, goblet and hat damaged), late 17th/early 18th century

Details

AN IMARI MODEL OF A ROISTERING DUTCHMAN seated astride a Dutch gin cask, one arm held high clutching a bottle as if to pour its alcohol into the goblet held in front of him, his coat moulded in relief and painted in iron-red, yellow, green and pale aubergine and gitl with peony and scrolling foliage, his breeches and leggings decorated with cherry blossom, the scroll base moulded and painted with a karashishi above a band of studs, his head moulded separately (feet, goblet and hat damaged), late 17th/early 18th century
37.5cm. high

Lot Essay

Originating from a Dutch Delft design inspired by the God Bacchus, it became a very popular model in the 18th century. A similar blue and white example is in the British Museum, illustrated Soame Jenyns, plate 13a and Porcelain for Palaces, no. 72. Several examples in the Imari palette have been sold in these Rooms, for example lot 9, 27 November 1984. Blue and white examples are considerably rarer

Sherds of these figures were excavated from the spoil heaps of the Aka-e-machi, the Enameller's Quarters in Arita in 1988

Volker states that the Dutch registers refer to statuettes in underglaze blue and it is possible that this may include the above

Similar examples sold in these Rooms, 27 November 1984, lot 9, 22 May 1984, lot 12, 18 November 1986, lot 14 and 28 October 1987, lot 139

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