Catalog (825)

Gorgeous blue clouded mottle lies over oribes vibrant green crackled glaze on this thick slab of clay by world famous artist Kato Shuntei (b. 1927-1995) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The upturned edges create a border where none exists allowing the dish to blend with other table elements and yet setting it apart as an individual work (asif the size alone were not enough!). The piece is literally supported on beaded drips of glassy green glaze. Roughly 14 by 15 inches (35 x 37 cm); it is in perfect condition. Shuntei succeeded his fathers name in 1961, becoming one of the Seto area leaders in ceramics along with his brother Shunto, and in fact represented Aichi prefecture at the Worlds Fair Osaka, and served as a judge for the Prefectural Art Committee for many years. He was presented at such prestigious events as the Nihon Kogei Ten (National Crafts Exhibition), Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) and the Asahi Togei Ten (Asahi Ceramics exhibition) among many others.

A perfect example of why Shigaraki is one of Japans most popular ceramic styles; a large tsubo urn covered in Hai-yu ash glaze by Yamamoto Ryuzan, enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Thick glaze covers the shoulder and runs in glassy rivulets down the charred front, while the back of the Tsubo, positioned away from the flame, remains pale white. Bidoro, flying ash all over with a dark kutsuki on front and brittle molten ash-charring at the base. On a small base, the piece leans slightly to one side, the natural presence entirely without pretense yet not lacking at all in impact. The tsubo is 14 inches (35 cm) tall, 12 inches (35 cm) diameter and in excellent condition.

A deep, almost bulbous, Wan-gata Chawan by Ueda Tsuneji Titled Kikumon, or Chrysanthemum, enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The large bowl is covered in speckled green glaze turning blue on the lower edges, with a bodacious mum in blue and black. It measures 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) diameter, the slightly tapered rim just over 3 inches (8cm) tall. Ueda Tsuneji (1914-1987) was born the second son of a Kimono maker in Kyoto, the designs seen in his youth having a lasting impression on his work. He graduated from the Kyoto Industrial School of Ceramics and established his own kiln Kinozarayama in 1936. In 1955 he discipled for two years under Kawai Kanjiro; becoming a recognized master of Neriage technique. His work is in the permanent collection of the Japan Folk Craft Museum.

A massive sculptural vase by Kyotos Inoue Yoshihisa (b. 1947) in the form of a crowing cock. This piece was featured in the Nitten in 1973 and is visible in the catalog for that year. Yoshihisa studied ceramics under Kiyomizu Rokube VI, certainly one reason for his emphasis on sculptural concerns. His work has often been accepted to the Nitten National Exhibition, as well as the All Japan New Crafts Exhibition where he received the Members prize, and the Kofukai-ten. An excellent example of Formalism verses figuration, themes necessarily emphasized by modern ceramic artists in Kyoto.

A striking large Han-zutsu Shino bowl by Kato Kageaki with cotton buffer and silk bag enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Linear forms lie shadowlike below the thick pitted shino glaze burnt red on the edges, the body torn and cut creating a vivacious landscape for the senses. The bowl is 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) diameter, 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) tall and in perfect condition. It comes wrapped in a custom fitted silk bag with a central cotton tuft, showing the high esteem and value lavished on the bowl. Kageaki (1899-1972) was the 12th generation head of the Kato clan, his ancestor Kagemitsu being the first of the Mino potters, establishing the family kiln in 1574. He was named a Prefectural Living Treasure (properly called Mukei Bunkazai or Intangible Cultural Property) in 1958. He was often displayed at and prized at the National Traditional Arts and Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten) and was a member of the Nihon Kogei Kai. His torch was passed to his son Kato Seizo and Mizuno Takuzo among others. The kiln is now headed by his grandson, the 14th generation head of the family Kato Yasukage.

Splashes of earthen color decorate the deep sides of this large open dish by Living National Treasure Tamura Koichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The bowl is 15-1/2 (39 cm) diameter, 4 inches (10.5 cm) tall. The box is worn but still sturdy, and the bowl is in perfect condition. Koichi graduated from the Tokyo University of Fine arts Where he later taught), and took up an apprenticeship under (later) Living National Treasure Tomimoto Kenkichi. With a very impressive career, Koichi too was designated a Living National Treasure for work with iron glaze the year before his death, 1986.

Graffito is scratched into the white crackled glaze of this bowl by world renowned artist Kumakura Junkichi (1920-1985) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The piece is 6 inches (15.5 cm) tall, 4-1/2 inches (11 cm) diameter and in perfect condition. See also the previously listed bowl by the same artist.
Junkichi began working in ceramics in the 1940s, his works submitted to innumerable National and International Exhibitions including the Japan Art Festival, New York and the international Arts and Crafts Exhibition in Florence Italy. He also submitted to the Brussels World Exposition and helped design murals for the World Exposition Osaka. At the International Ceramics Exhibition, Prague in 1962 he took a silver prize. He was also often exhibited and is in the permanent collection of the Japanese National Museum of Modern Art as well as the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto. Along with Suzuki Osamu, Hikaru Yamada and Yagi Kazuo, Junkichi was one of the founding members of the influential Sodeisha (Crawling Through Mud Association), a group of revolutionary post war ceramic artists whose influence remains strong today.

White splashes into the pale terracotta of this large basin by world renowned artist Suzuki Osamu enclosed in the original signed kiri-wood box. The bowl measures almost 12 inches (28.5 cm) diameter, 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) tall and is in excellent condition, stamped on the base with the character Su in a square cartouche.
Osamu was, along with Kumakura Junkichi, Hikaru Yamada and Yagi Kazuo, one of the founding members of the influential Sodeisha (Crawling Through Mud Association), a group of revolutionary post war ceramic artists whose influence remains strong today. Works by him are in too many collections to note in this small add, including the Kyoto and Tokyo National Museums of Modern Art, Victoria Albert and New York Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

A pair of men-tori gourd shaped sake flasks by Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. One flask is decorated in blue with bamboo and the characters Sei-Fu (pure wind). The second is dated in blue and pink with pomegranates with the inscription “For the use of Yuzo, October 27, 1976”. Both are signed on the base. It is likely these came from the artists own personal collection. Each stands roughly 5 inches (13 cm) tall. There are two fractures visible in the glaze of the pomegranate flask.
Kondo Yuzo (1902-1985) was born in the Gojozaka district of Kyoto and studied alongside Kawai Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji at the Kyoto Ceramics Reseaerch facility, where he studied kiln technique directly under Shoji. He then apprenticed under recently returned Tomimoto Kenkichi for three years before establishing himself as a unique artist in the Kiyomizu district of Kyoto in 1924. He served as a professor at the Kyoto University of Art where he helped shape generations of potters. After an illustrious career he was named a Living National Treasure for Sometsuke Porcelain in 1977. Works by the artist are held in the collection of the LACMA, Cleveland and Brooklyn Museums of Art, Kyoto Municipal and Tokyo National Museums of Modern Art among many others.

Namako glaze runs down, creating rivers flowing around the horns on the sides of this massive pot by Suzuki Kenji (1935-2010). Looking within one sees the volcanic explosions where the glaze pooled, bubbled and burst in the center. The vessel is 18 inches (45.5 cm) tall, roughly 13 inches (33 cm) square and weighs 20.5 kg (45 pounds). It is in fine condition. By size and structure it would be acceptable for display either inside or out.
This is from the Matsui family collection of Fushimi, an extensive collection of art objects encompassing many aspects of crafts, including sculpture, Pottery and Metalwork, largely from Kyoto area Artists. It would seem they had a special connection with the Suzuki family, as they owned many pieces, including bowls, vases and larger sculptural works which we happily acquired.
Born into a long line of Kyoto potters, Suzuki Kenji studied initially (as did his brother Takuji) of course under his father Suzuki Kiyoshi. He Graduated from the Kyoto University of Fine Arts in 1957 where he studied under Kondo Ryuzo, Tomimoto Kenkichi and Fujimoto Nodo and apprenticed with the Sixth Kiyomizu Rokubei. He was first accepted into the Nitten in 1958, and was exhibited and awarded there many times over the following years. In 1960 he was awarded the Mayors prize at the Kyoten. Throughout the 60s he submitted to international events in North and Central America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Also from 1965 to 1971 he worked as assistant professor to the 7th Kiyomizu Rokubei at his alma-matter. In 1967 he was awarded the Hokuto-sho prize at the Nitten for his work White Orb. In 1976 he established a new Kiln in Yamashina. He was awarded the order of Cultural Merit by Kyoto prefecture for his lifes work in 2005. Works by the artist are held in the collections of the Kyoto Prefectural Museum, Kyoto Municipal Museum and Kyoto University of Art among others. His research into metal glazes will have a long standing affect on contemporary pottery in Kyoto. Widely published, he wrote a book for the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art titled Contemporary Ceramic Art : Canada, USA, Mexico and Japan (1971) as well as Sōsaku tōgei no tenkai / sekinin henshū (1984) among many others.

Yuteki black slips down over the pourous, crackled white of this bold work by Taniguchi Ryozo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 8-1/2 inches (21.5 cm) tall and in excellent condition. The box is darkened with age.
Ryozo (1926-1996) studied initially under Kiyomizu Rokubei VI. He was first accepted into the Japan Academy of Arts exhibition in 1948, and subsequently into the Nitten National exhibition in 1951 and exhibited there often after, receiving many prizes including the Hokuto-sho, Prime Ministers Prize and Kiku-ka-sho as well as serving as a jury member. In 1956 he was awarded at the Modern Ceramic Art Exhibition, and five years later was recipient of the prestigious Japan Ceramics Society (JCS) Award (1961). Showing his prowess he was invited to exhibit at the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo in 1964, and was invited to serve as a juror for the Kyoten that same year. From then his list of exhibitions and prizes is impressive and much too long to list in this add. He has also exhibited with the Modern Japanese Ceramics Exhibition as well as being awarded at the Modern Japanese Crafts Exhibition and the Kofukai, where he was awarded the Kofukai Members Prize (participating there from 1960). From the 1970s, other international and domestic exhibitions as well as a slew of private exhibitions at Japans top galleries. Works by the artist are held in the MOMAT, In 1989 he received the Kyoto Cultural award for his life works in the ceramics field.

A beautifully shaped green vessel by Miyashita Zenju enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It stands 10 inches (25.5 cm) tall, 8-1/2 inches (22 cm) diameter and is in fine condition.
Zenju (1901-1968) studied pottery in Japan, Korea and China, and is held in the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art as well as the Kyoto National Museum. Work by the artist was exhibited pre-war at the Bunten and Nitten National Exhibitions as well as the 1939 and 1940 World Exposition. Post war he put his energy into reviving Kyoto’s Ceramic tradition and was exhibited at the National Ceramics Exhibition among many others. He was a leading figure in Kyoto art circles, and he passed the torch on to his son, Miyashita Zenji.

A bottle form vase by important 20th century artist Yagi Kazuo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The vase is 4 x 4-1/2 x 7-1/2 inches (10 x 11.5 x 19 cm) and in excellent condition.
Volumes have been written about pioneering artist Yagi Kazuo (1918-1979) and I am sure he needs no introduction. His birth on Independence Day seems to have been a portent of things to come. He was the son of the ceramicist Yagi Isso, and grew up surrounded by the characters of the Goja-zaka pottery world of Kyoto, living just down the street from Greats like Kawai Kanjiro and Kiyomizu Rokubei. He graduated the sculpture department of the Kyoto Municipal School of Art in 1937, and went on to further study under Numata Ichiga at the Kyoto Ceramics Research Facility. It was in 1948, that along with Kumakura Junkichi, Hikaru Yamada and Suzuki Osamu, he founded the influential Sodeisha (Crawling Through Mud Association), a group of revolutionary post war ceramic artists whose influence remains strong today. The basis of this unit was complete disposal of function in favor of form. This group and other contemporary groups (Sekidosha etc) began the rivalry which has defined Japanese ceramic art for half a century. He taught at the Kyoto Municipal University of Art for much of his life. Works by this artist are held in innumerable public and private collections throughout the world.

A charred Tsubo blasted with ash by Takahashi Rakusai enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It reflects the style of early Shigaraki, with an engraved crosshatch belt circling the flaring mouth. The piece is 8 inches (21 cm) tall, roughly the same diameter and in excellent condition but for one tiny nick in the base.
Born in Shigaraki in 1900, Rakusai was considered one of the true masters of Shigaraki and Iga-yaki, along with Naokata and later Michio. He worked toward the revival of Kamakura and Muromachi wares like this piece, and came to the world stage when he won international acclaim after being prized at the 1958 Brussels Exposition. He was later named a Shiga-ken Juyo Mukei Bunkazai and is credited as one of the artists that saved Japanese pottery from extinction in the post-war years. He eschewed the National Competitions and was a proponent of the world of private exhibition. He died in 1976.

A Hakuji Mentori Vase by Takenaka Ko enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) diameter, 13 inches (33 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Ko (born 1941) apprenticed under future Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo before establishing his own kiln in 1970. He was the recipient of one of Japans most prestigious awards, the JCS award (Japanese Ceramics Society) in 1980. He was designated an Intangible Cultural Property of Kyoto in 1995 (Mukei Bunkazai or prefectural Treasure). Works by this artist are held in the Victoria Albert Museum, and the British Museum as well as both the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo and Kyoto among many others. For more on this influential artist see the catalog for the exhibition “Japanese Ceramics Today: Masterpieces from the Kukichi Collection” (Smithsonian Institute) or Winter Whites: The Porcelains of Takenaka Ko, by Suzanne Mitchell, New York, 2003. Also, Contemporary Clay, Japanese Ceramics for the New Century by Joe Earle, 2005.

Red highlights the salt glazed body of this multifaceted tsubo by Seto Hiroshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Enseki-yu Tamentori Tsubo. Like stepping stones stomach scales of a snake climb in concentric arcs about the body of the base, the white covering most with red highlighting the edges. It is 8 inches (20 cm) tall, roughly the same diameter and in excellent condition.
Seto Hiroshi (1941-1994) studied pottery under Living National Treasures Tomimoto Kenkichi and Kondo Yuzo in Kyoto before establishing himself in Mashiko, where he served to bring tradition into the modern age with his unique look at form and glaze. He was exhibited and awarded widely including the Nihon Togei-Ten National Ceramic Exhibition and is held in any number of important Domestic and International collections.

Form and Texture, a beautiful white vase by Taniguchi Ryozo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 8-1/2 inches (22 cm) tall and in fine condition, dating circa 1973.
Ryozo (1926-1996) studied initially under Kiyomizu Rokubei VI. He was first accepted into the Japan Academy of Arts exhibition in 1948, and subsequently into the Nitten National exhibition in 1951 and exhibited there often after, receiving many prizes including the Hokuto-sho, Prime Ministers Prize and Kiku-ka-sho as well as serving as a jury member. In 1956 he was awarded at the Modern Ceramic Art Exhibition, and five years later was recipient of the prestigious Japan Ceramics Society (JCS) Award (1961). Showing his prowess he was invited to exhibit at the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo in 1964, and was invited to serve as a juror for the Kyoten that same year. From then his list of exhibitions and prizes is impressive and much too long to list in this add. He has also exhibited with the Modern Japanese Ceramics Exhibition as well as being awarded at the Modern Japanese Crafts Exhibition and the Kofukai, where he was awarded the Kofukai Members Prize (participating there from 1960). From the 1970s, other international and domestic exhibitions as well as a slew of private exhibitions at Japans top galleries. Works by the artist are held in the MOMAT, In 1989 he received the Kyoto Cultural award for his life works in the ceramics field.

A sculptural Green form by Yamazaki Akira (Yamazaki Koyo II, b. 1927), one of several enigmatic works we have acquired by this artist dating from the 1970s to early 80s. With the right lighting we can see a pattern of large black spots under the glaze on the bottom half of the body reminding me of the flintstones. The vase is 17 x 7-1/2 x 10 inches (43 x 19 x 25 cm) tall and in fine condition, signed on the base Akira. There is no box.
Akira’s father Yamazaki Koyo (1890-1979) was displayed and awarded consistently in many National Exhibitions and is held in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art Boston and Bern Museum of Art Switzerland among others. Akira studied under Kiyomizu Rokubei VI as well as his father and was equally exhibited and awarded, including the Hokutosho prize at the Nitten where he later served as Judge, Kofukai Ten and Governors prize at the Kyoten. For more see Fired with Passion: contemporary Japanese ceramics (2006).