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A BLUE AND WHITE ARITA WARE TRAY DECORATED WITH THE MAP OF JAPAN, EDO PERIOD, TENPO ERA Japan, Saga Prefecture, 1830-1844. Finely potted, the rectangular platter with scalloped rims and shallow sides, raised on a short, straight foot. The interior painted in underglaze cobalt blue on a clear white ground, to depict a stylized map of Japan with the names of the individual provinces inscribed, and the surrounding seas rendered in a characteristic wave-pattern motif. The underside decorated with scattered wave designs and a four-character inscription reading Tenpo nen sei 天保年製 [made in the Tenpo era]. Provenance: From The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012. Condition: Excellent condition with only minor wear and firing-inherent irregularities. Weight: 1,415 g Dimensions: Length 32.3 cm Visually striking and unusually large serving dishes came into use during the Tenpo era (1830-1844), reflecting the increased accessibility of restaurants and the growing popularity of communal dining. This example is decorated with a map of Japan derived from one attributed to Gyoki (688-749), the Buddhist monk regarded as an early pioneer of Japanese cartography. Maps of this type present the provinces in a schematic manner, rendered as rounded, balloon-like forms. In this interpretation, the Tohoku region is abbreviated, and Hokkaido appears only faintly at the upper right. The Korean peninsula is included, as is Ryukyu, corresponding to present-day Okinawa, together with the mythical ‘Island of Women’ shown at the lower right. Literature comparison: Compare a nearly identical blue and white Arita ware tray decorated with the map of Japan, Edo period, Tenpo era, 1830-1844, 23.5 cm long, in the British Museum, registration number 2014,3064.8. Compare a nearly identical blue and white Arita ware tray decorated with the map of Japan, Edo period, Tenpo era, 1830-1844, 28.5 cm long, in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, object number B73P2. Compare a nearly identical blue and white Arita ware tray decorated with the map of Japan, Edo period, Tenpo era, 1830-1844, 32.4 cm long, in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, accession number 154.1981.