This striking overglaze-decorated bowl, by Aoki Mokubei (青木木米, 1767–1833), is a vivid example of late Edo-period aka-e (red enamel) Kyoto ware featuring a whimsical dragon motif. Rendered in iron-red enamel with accents of green and black, the exterior is animated by curling clouds, a stylized dragon with expressive features, and spiral motifs, all set against a finely crackled cream glaze (kan’nyū). The bold brushwork and literati-influenced composition reflect Mokubei’s unique fusion of Chinese visual culture with Japanese senchadō aesthetics. The interior rim is richly adorned with chrysanthemums and peony-like blossoms in the aka-e palette, encircling a central cartouche bearing a large inscription in bold calligraphic style.
On the exterior foot ring, the bowl bears the rare and distinctive mark 聾米造 (Rōbei-zō, “made by Rōbei”)—a humorous alternate signature used by Mokubei in his later years, playing on the characters for “deaf” (聾) and his usual name 木米 (Mokubei).