Ceramic Art Review

REVIEW OF JAPANESE CERAMICS

The Japanese ceramic bowls in LACMA 's permanent collection show a clear difference between the pre-1650 stoneware pieces and the slightly later porcelain items . While the stoneware works are more abstract and coarser-looking , generally giving the appearance of folk objects , the porcelain bowls have a delicate , refined appearance indicating their manufacture for the social elites and suggesting their more decorative uses

The oldest bowl , dubbed Dish with the Character for `Spirit ' dates from circa 1580 and is a stoneware piece in earth tones , with beige brown

, and white glaze with black calligraphy a design vaguely reminiscent of sun rays . The different sections are drawn somewhat unevenly , attesting to somewhat rough craftsmanship and suggesting that this piece was made for common people . A similar piece , dating from 1578 , has a somewhat squared-off rim with blossoms and stripes radiating from the center . Its glaze is also earth-toned and it features a somewhat cryptic design in the center , and the somewhat uneven hand-applied application suggests non-elite workmanship and usage Another , slightly later stoneware piece (from the early seventeenth century ) is a wide , shallow bowl , also with an uneven mouth and abstract design inside

The porcelain pieces , by contrast , reveal much greater detail and refinement . The oldest , named Dish with Paulownia Snowflake Design and dating from the late seventeenth century , is rounder and more symmetrical than the stoneware dishes , and features two multicolored elaborate snowflake designs (a smaller one in blue and a larger red green , and blue one that extends off the surface of the vessel Another contemporary dish has a painting of intricately-decorated blue and white jars against a grayish background it is similarly symmetrical in shape . The final one , dating from 1830-43 , is perhaps the most detailed , showing a map of several islands (one of which dominates the picture ) within a sea , whose waves are stylized semi-circles . All feature such close , intricate detail that while they are intended as useful objects , they appear as much decorative as practical and they seem to have been created with more artistic attention (and possibly with more sophisticated manufacturing techniques

The stoneware bowls appear to be functional vernacular objects , given their somewhat rough-hewn appearance . Compared to the porcelain bowls which appear more decorative and intricately designed , the older pieces appear more practical because of their roughness one would not be as likely to damage the stoneware bowls or spoil their appearances with stains (which earth-tone glaze would help conceal . The porcelain dishes appear more decorative and , perhaps , less likely to be used for everyday consumption

The stoneware bowls evoke no deep feeling because they are not holy objects and do not include evocative depictions of anything . Instead they serve as examples of what ordinary Japanese used for routine food consumption . The porcelain items were likely elite objects , since Japan 's ruling classes tended to prefer porcelain , which , according to the museum website , was generally not sold commercially . The stoneware dishes were likely made for and owned by commoners , given their less...