An outstanding Japanese porcelain fish bowl (jardiničre), produced by the celebrated Fukagawa Seiji kiln in Arita during the late Meiji period, circa 1894. Combining refined craftsmanship with sophisticated decoration, it represents one of the finest traditions of Japanese export porcelain. The exterior is painted in the elegant Growing Bamboo pattern using underglaze cobalt blue, iron-red enamels and hand-applied gilding. Its distinctive atmospheric effect was achieved using the traditional fuki-ezumi technique, in which atomised cobalt was sprayed in successive translucent layers before the bamboo was meticulously painted by hand, creating exceptional depth and a remarkably painterly finish.The interior is centred by a beautifully executed koi carp swimming through cobalt-blue washes that convincingly evoke flowing water. When filled, the bowl creates the illusion of a living fish beneath the surface. The underside bears the authentic Fukagawa Mount Fuji and Stream factory mark, ...