While the inspiration of Japan provided European designers with a fresh repertory of motif...
While the inspiration of Japan provided European designers with a fresh repertory of motifs to copy, it also seems to have given new freedom to their imagination. The enameled terra cotta teapot by Watcombe combines a variety of motifs, but manages to maintain its own harmony--with a touch of whimsy, that is.
The circular form gives the appearance of a bundle of upright cylinders--perhaps bamboo stalks, perhaps the Japanese print rollers that Western designers found fascinating. The surface of each scallop is embellished with relief panels of bamboo foliage. A cluster of these leaves on the lid serves as a resting place for a grinning mythical dog figure that keeps watch over the steeping brew. Black enameling separates the scallop panels and accents the handle and twig or "crabstock" spout--a feature with plenty of precedent in European pots, but fits in perfectly with this Asian-inspired fantasy.