Small Satsuma porcelain tripod box decorated with butterflies.

The circular box rests on three small feet and is entirely decorated with a myriad of small butterflies in flight rendered in red, green, brown and gold glazes. The lid is painted with three large butterflies in flight, as are the underside of the lid and the interior of the box. The bottom of the box bears a red and gold mark on the glaze.

Porcelain from the Satsuma kilns, characterized by its dense decorations executed in red, brown and gold enamels on an ivory background, first appeared in the early 19th century. In the second half of the 19th century, it was mainly exported to Europe and the United States, where it was highly prized.