Eugène Rousseau and Appert Frères Vase shells 1878-1884 Walters Art Museum

During the Edo period in Japan (1615-1868), the shell-matching game ("kai awase") was popular among women. It involved matching shells that had been painted with scenes from the 9th-century classical novel "The Tale of Genji." This vase has been decorated with such shells.
Rousseau was an innovative ceramist and glass designer who played a pivotal role in introducing Japanese motifs into French decorative arts. The actual production of the glass was carried out by Appert Frères, a glass manufactory in the Paris suburb of Clichy. 1878-1884