Seifu Yohei III's 1905 Asahi Iro Ceramic Vase

Soft as the dawn sky, this vase shimmers with a delicate gradient of pale gold, blush pink, and creamy ivory, evoking the first light of morning touching cherry blossoms in full bloom. Against this ethereal backdrop, a faint relief of sakura branches and swallows in flight emerges—almost imperceptible at first, yet imbued with an undeniable presence.

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. Seifu, one of the most celebrated ceramicists of the Meiji era (1868–1912), was renowned for his ability to blend traditional Japanese aesthetics with Western-influenced glazing techniques, pushing the boundaries of Kyoto porcelain (Kyo-yaki 京焼). His works frequently featured delicate incised relief designs (彫絵, hori-e), allowing motifs to emerge subtly from the surface, rather than standing in stark contrast.

The subject matter—cherry blossoms and swallows—carries a deeply poetic symbolism. Sakura, with its fleeting beauty, represents ephemerality and renewal, while the swallow, a bird associated with hope and seasonal change, completes the scene with a quiet sense of movement. Together, they capture a moment suspended in time, as if nature itself has been crystallised into porcelain.

Beyond its aesthetic beauty, this vase reflects the era’s artistic sensitivity to light, nature, and impermanence—a vessel not just for flowers, but for the very essence of spring itself.

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