An attractive pair of antique Japanese Kutani porcelain vases painted with mirror images of the traditional Taoist study of the "Sages in a Bamboo Grove," which in this instance has been rendered with very engaging charismatic portraits. The red iron glaze is characteristic of Kutani, however, this pair is unusual for the predominant use of overglaze red, as well as the classic underglaze red and black with gold leaf detail. Meiji Period (1868-1912) Height 12.75 in., Diameter 6.5 in.