Japanese artists have a particularly charming way of depicting natural history subjects and this is seen to particularly good effect in their decoration of Satsuma pottery.

This pair of medium-sized globular vases has overglaze enamels applied in a raised, three-dimensional effect. On each, the scene is continuous and shows a proud rooster, with a hen and three chicks, in a landscape of spring blossoms beside a stream. The scenes on the two vases are arranged as a mirror image