Small Karatsu dish with sweets, golden kintsugi with dragonflies, Momoyama – early Edo

A small stoneware sweet dish made of Karatsu (Karatsu-yaki), probably from the Momoyama period – early Edo period, with a sandy clay body and a slightly scorched cream glaze, typical of Kyushu Japanese ceramics. The thick body, thrown without ornamentation, belongs to the rustic type of pieces used in chanoyu (tea houses) to present wagashi (sweets), prized by tea masters for their simplicity and wabi-sabi aesthetic.

The plate, of very simple shape, underwent extensive restoration using kintsugi, which transforms the damage into a veritable decoration. Large areas of the rim were filled with urushi lacquer and covered with carefully polished gold powder. On the front, the gold is enlivened with a motif of stylized dragonflies. In Japanese culture, the dragonfly (tombo), nicknamed kachi-mushi, "victory insect," symbolizes drive, courage, and perseverance. Combined with kintsugi, it reinforces the themes of resilience and rebirth: the broken piece becomes more precious after its repair.

On the reverse, the same gilded lacquer is incised with a geometric band of triangles and openwork reserves, like a fragment of a precious belt around the foot. This contrast between the raw, almost rustic clay of the Karatsu ceramic and the refined brilliance of the lacquer and gold creates a distinctly Japanese paradox: a small, utilitarian dish for the tea ceremony is elevated to the status of an object of contemplation. The wabi-sabi vocabulary is fully expressed here, between the simplicity of the materials, the acceptance of imperfections, and the beauty of the marks of time.

Japanese Karatsu ceramic, Momoyama – early Edo period. Kintsugi in lacquer and gold powder decorated with dragonflies and a geometric frieze. Dimensions: 14.8 cm in diameter x 2.6 cm in height.