Itaya Hazan's 1918 Birds and Flowers Vase

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.

Unlike the more misty and atmospheric tones of his earlier Hōkō-sai (葆光彩) works, this piece embraces a clearer palette—drawing on the confident lines and rhythmic structure of ming-style Chinese porcelain, yet filtered through Hazan’s deeply personal lens. The symmetry of the birds and the framing of their oval reserve create a sense of meditative calm, while the floral designs balance movement with restraint. Every detail, from the placement of the blooms to the subtle flow of the feather patterns, feels intentional, almost musical.

This work also reflects the Taishō period’s quiet romance, a time when artists like Hazan sought beauty not through ostentation, but through balance, softness, and an embrace of nature as a timeless muse. The choice of birds—likely a pair of lovebirds or kingfishers—is deeply symbolic in East Asian art, representing fidelity, harmony, and enduring affection. Here, Hazan brings that motif into a modern Japanese context, merging technique with emotion.

What emerges is not simply a decorative object, but a vessel of feeling—a piece that invites not only admiration, but tenderness. In the curve of its form and the serenity of its imagery, we hear Hazan’s voice: quiet, precise, and utterly sincere.

🍵 If you appreciate wabi-sabi aesthetics and timeless rustic simplicity, take a look here: https://engicrafts.etsy.com