I always admire the humor and whimsy of Japanese ceramics. One of the reasons is that in general Japanese ceramics are often made in a studio by an individual artist whereas Chinese porcelains, as beautiful as they may be, but they are made by a production line. My other theory is that Japanese society is structured and rather formal and an individual finds an outlet of self expression in artistic creations. That said, this whimsical teapot is made of porcelain in the shape of a pumpkin, with a leafy lid and the stem as the finial. It is decorated with the theme of the See No Evil or Three Wise Monkeys.
The three wise monkeys are a Japanese pictorial illustration of the provery: "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". [1} The three monkeys are
Mizaru, who sees no evil, covering his eyes
Kikazaru, who hears no evil, covering his ears, and
Iwazaru, who speaks no evil, covering his mouth.[2]
The teapot is beautiful and attractive in the bright green glaze and the monkey are done in an almost life like manner. The hand is a typical bent bamboo. It is not signed and appears to be a modern Banko ware.
Dating: Modern
Dimensions: 6 inches diameter and 4.5 inches high
Condition: in good condition except for a little ding under the lid that is restored and hardly noticeable.