Sakaida Kakiemon is a line of master craftsmen whose tradition has continued in Arita, Saga Prefecture, since the early Edo period. The first generation is known for having successfully produced red-painted porcelain in the 17th century; subsequently, a distinctive style developed in which flowers, plants and birds were painted in red, yellow, green and blue over a milky-white, cloudy-finish (nigoshide) body. This style, characterised by compositions that make extensive use of negative space and delicate colours, is known as the Kakiemon style. During the Edo period, it was exported to Europe and exerted a significant influence on Western porcelain, such as Meissen. Successive generations have continued to pass down these techniques and aesthetic sensibilities to the present day.

What is striking when viewing Kakiemon works is that, despite their vibrant coloured designs, a sense of tranquillity remains on the surface of the vessels. By not filling the surface with patterns without a single gap, but rather utilising the white negative space itself as a form of beauty, the flowers, plants and birds stand out all the more vividly. To me, it is this negative space that lies at the very heart of Kakiemon’s appeal. Bright and graceful, yet never overly ornate, it conveys a sense of dignity and delicacy the more one looks at it; I believe it represents one of the quintessential beauties of Japanese porcelain.