Brilliant porcelain across the Pacific Ocean – Old Noritake: Beauty Bridging East & West

[Inscription] Maruki stamp (the Chinese character for "tree" surrounded by a circle) (registered in Japan) 

[Year of Manufacture] 1906 – 1921

Derived from Japonism, bijinga (pictures depicting young women) were also drawn in the Art Deco period. In the design of this piece, the obi, or sash of the woman’s kimono, is unnaturally oversized, and the hem flares outward like a western dress. For this reason, it’s hard to believe that this image came from Japan, and it’s assumed that the design was initially being copied from an American picture of Japonism or that the entire piece was designed somewhere other than Japan. Although the composition, from a Japanese point of view, contains elements that seem totally unnatural, the piece itself was still attractive and enjoyed great popularity.