When the French public encountered Japanese stoneware at the 1878 Exposition Universelle, they were inspired by the exquisite drip glazes and rough textures which stood in stark contrast to the almost machine-like perfection of contemporary French ceramics. Artists such as Henri de Vallombreuse began to imitate the Japanese style by experimenting with new glaze techniques. The present vase is an example of this influence at the fin-de-siècle and demonstrates his mastery of multiple glazes.