Late 17th - early 18th century

Incense Container in the Shape of a Crested Grebe

Artist/maker unknown

The Japanese nobility of the Heian period practiced the art of incense mixing and even invented a game based on identifying various incense aromas. Incense is also a central part of preparation for the tea ceremony, and artist and tea-man Hon'ami Koetsu mentions it in his letters. The beautiful containers made to hold the incense themselves became an important esthetic element in the tea ceremony.

This small, elegant incense container in the form of a duck, goose, or heron was made by an unknown craftsman at the Kyushu kilns of Arita. The perfect potting and Kakiemon-style enamels testify to the skill of the artist and the taste of the owners.