YUAN DYNASTY (1279-1368)

Ryuzaburo Umehara was a master of Japanese modern painting. Born in Kyoto in 1888, he was the son of a wealthy silk merchant. In 1908, he traveled to Europe where he studied at the Academie Julian and became influenced by Renoir. Umehara eventually traveled to the south of France to study with the artist, an experience which strongly influenced his early work. For an example of Umehara Ryuzaburo's work, see Shushoku enkei (Autumn Landscape), sold at Christie's New York, 11 May 2001, lot 25.

A similarly carved Longquan jar of this form is illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, vol. I, London, 1986, p. 293, no. 216. R. Krahl illustrates another related jar in Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. I, London, 1994, p. 306, no. 576. See, also, M. Medley, The Chinese Potter: A Practical History of Chinese Ceramics, Oxford, 1976, p. 149, fig. 110. Another jar of similar decoration but with a cover was sold in Important Chinese Art from the Fujita Museum; Christie's New York, 15 March 2017, lot 502.