Antique vase in the shape of a gourd. Made from paired vases in the shape of a gourd. Porcelain, painting. There is a workshop mark at the bottom of the vase. Japan, Kutani. XX century.

Since ancient times, gourds have been used as a vessel for storing drinking water. It was carefully dressed, dried and decorated. In such an unusual vessel, the water remained fresh for a long time, and since water was of great value, the pumpkin began to symbolize wealth. The shape of the fruit resembles the number “8”, which is also of great importance, because in Eastern culture it is believed that this is the “luckiest” number that brings good luck and prosperity.

Kutani is one of the three main and most famous movements of Japanese artistic porcelain/ceramics. The workshops are located in Ishikawa Prefecture, mainly in the Kutani region, literally translated as "nine valleys". Numerous workshops located near the city of Kaga worked with porcelain so skillfully that they became a household name for all Japanese porcelain. Kutani ceramics were presented at the world exhibitions in Vienna and Paris and were truly of great importance for the entire world of ceramics.