Ceramics

A commanding presence, the Sancai Dragon-Eared Vase showcases a striking fusion of eastern and western influences, rooted in the cosmopolitan culture of the Tang dynasty (618–907). With its elongated ovoid body, broad neck, and magnificent dragon-shaped handles, this vase embodies both elegance and power.

Floating among the mist and clouds, Mount Fuji emerges in soft, ethereal tones—a vision of Japan’s most iconic peak, captured with a delicate interplay of colour and light. This breathtaking artwork is a prime example of wireless cloisonné (無線七宝), crafted by the celebrated artisan Namikawa Sōsuke (1847–1910).

This magnificent large dish showcases the delicate beauty and technical mastery of Nabeshima ware (鍋島焼), one of Japan’s most esteemed ceramic traditions. Originating in the early Edo period, Nabeshima ware was produced at the Okawachi Kilns under the patronage of the Nabeshima clan. Originally intended as tribute items for the shogunate and high-ranking samurai, these pieces epitomise both refined aesthetics and unparalleled craftsmanship.

These exquisite square ceramic dishes, crafted by Ogata Kenzan (尾形乾山) and painted by his older brother Ogata Kōrin (尾形光琳), exemplify the harmonious collaboration between two of Japan’s most celebrated Edo-period artisans. Created between 1709 and 1716, after Kōrin returned from Edo to Kyoto, these dishes beautifully blend ceramic craftsmanship with painterly elegance.

This stunning pot, known as Nara Sansai Tsubo (奈良三彩壺), embodies the early Japanese adaptation of the Tang dynasty’s three-colour glaze (唐三彩) technique. Emerging in the Nara period (8th century), it marks the first production of three-colour glazed pottery in Japan, modelled after the imported Chinese Tang Sansai, which had been introduced during the Asuka period. While Tang Sansai served as funerary objects (明器), Nara Sansai evolved to fulfil a practical purpose, incorporatin

This striking piece, with its thick, flowing glazes and rugged, squared form, speaks of both earthiness and dynamic movement. The vessel, created by Kawai Kanjiro (河井寛次郎), was exhibited at his 1939 New Works Exhibition at Takashimaya Namba, where it captivated audiences with its unapologetic texture and vivid, organic patterning.

Two birds sit nestled together on a flowering branch, their forms delicately outlined in shades of cobalt and soft peach. Around them, stylised clouds and floral motifs spiral across the round porcelain surface, evoking a quiet symphony of companionship and nature’s rhythm. This vase, created around 1918 by Itaya Hazan (板谷波山), carries with it both the warmth of traditional Japanese symbolism and the emerging aesthetic language of early modern ceramic art.

Wrapped in a gentle mist of porcelain, this ceramic vase by Itaya Hazan (板谷波山) radiates a quiet, inner glow. Its surface is caressed with a soft gradation of pastel pinks and pale blues, where stylised floral forms curve in rhythmic lines across a pale, velvety ground. Each petal seems to bloom not from the surface but from within, as if caught beneath a layer of morning fog.

Created in 1914, this ceramic vase is a prime example of Itaya Hazan’s most celebrated innovation: Hōkō-sai, or 'preserved light colouration'. Unlike the bold, glossy overglaze enamels of traditional Kutani or Arita wares, Hazan’s Hōkō style embraces a muted, atmospheric quality, achieved through carving into the clay body, applying delicate pigments, and encasing them in a thin, matte glaze.

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.