Kakiemon Quatrefoil-Shaped Dish

Inspired by Chinese famille-verte overglaze enamels, Japanese kakiemon 柿右衛門 designs were created in kilns in the porcelain center of Arita in Kyushu. Named for ceramicist Sakaida Kakiemon 酒井田柿右衛門 (1596–1666), who may have learned the overglaze enamel technique from a Chinese artist, kakiemon is a style characterized by colorful, refined designs that are often asymmetrical and sparsely applied to highlight the pure, white glaze of the background.

Japanese porcelain production in Arita grew with the fall of the Ming dynasty in China in 1644 and the halt in porcelain production at Jǐngdézhèn. Starting in the 1650s, kakiemon ware was exported to Europe and was soon imitated by porcelain makers in Germany and France. Production continued in Japan, and in 1971 kakiemon ware was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government.