Ceramics

Crafted in 1908 by Miyanaga Tōzan I (宮永東山, 1868–1941), this ceramic vase exemplifies the Meiji-era pursuit of merging technical precision with painterly expression. The warm bronze-brown body, understated yet luminous, gives the impression of weathered bark or burnished metal, blurring the boundary between ceramic and sculpture.

This masterful ceramic vase, created in 1905 by Seifu Yohei III (清風与平三代), is an exquisite example of the Asahi Iro (旭彩, 'morning glow') technique, a signature of his Kyoto workshop.

This breathtaking piece is the work of Miyagawa Kōzan I (宮川香山, 1842–1916), the pioneering Kyoto-born ceramic artist who revolutionised Makuzu-yaki (真葛焼) in the late 19th century. Created in 1881, this bowl exemplifies his mastery of three-dimensional sculptural relief (高浮彫, kō-ukibori), a technique that elevated pottery into a realm between art and reality. Under Kōzan’s hand, ceramics became more than just vessels—they became living, breathing compositions of nature.

This piece, created in 1994 by Imaizumi Imaemon XIII (十三代 今泉今右衛門), is a stunning example of iro-e fukizumi (色絵吹重ね, layered colour overglaze with spray effect). A technique developed in the Imaemon kiln, it softens vibrant floral motifs with a mist-like background, creating an ethereal depth reminiscent of morning fog over a Japanese garden.

This square plate by Shimaoka Tatsuzō (島岡達三), designated a Living National Treasure (人間国宝) in Japan, is a conversation between order and spontaneity, tradition and innovation. The rhythmic rope-impressed texture (縄文象嵌, jōmon zōgan) forms the foundation—a nod to ancient Japanese pottery techniques. But over it, bold brushstrokes of iron glaze disrupt the symmetry, like calligraphy breaking through a structured grid.

Thick, weighty, unshaken—this is a 1975 jar made not just to hold, but to endure. The glaze, a cascade of deep browns and ashen whites, tells the story of its time in the kiln, where fire and chance collaborated to sculpt its final form.

At first glance, this 1974 vessel is quiet—muted tones, earthy elegance, a form that seems to have emerged effortlessly from the kiln. But look closer, and the bold strokes of iron glaze cut through its surface like a calligrapher’s brush, alive with movement, as if painted in the fleeting moment between breath and thought.

This 1963 piece by Kawai Kanjirō is more than just a ceramic plate—it is a testament to his philosophy that art and life are inseparable, that beauty arises not from rigid perfection but from an intuitive harmony between maker and material.

This 1959 decorative box by Tomimoto Kenkichi is a testament to that harmony, where meticulous geometry meets the refined artistry of one of Japan’s most celebrated ceramicists.

There is an undeniable presence in Bizen ware—the kind that makes you pause and trace your fingers along the rough, fire-kissed surface. This 1958 water jar by Kaneshige Tōyō, a Living National Treasure, is no exception. Every inch of its surface tells a story of earth, fire, and time, the culmination of centuries-old techniques and a master’s guiding hand.