Friday, May 24, 2013

SHINO TSUBO

Illustrated is a rich black ink calligraphy for the kanji, TSUBO by Ningen Kokuho for Shino pottery; Suzuki Osamu (b. 1934). Unlike those of Kato Tokuro, this tsubo is brushed in a more direct and literal manner in which the character is easily read and closer to the ideal than some I have seen. Though easily read, it is animated and expressive and glimpses the nature of the tsubo in a classical and purposeful manner. Over the years I have seen a thousand or more calligraphies by potters for the kanji, tsubo and it has become very clear that you can usually see a direct correlation between the potters ink and his clay, this shikishi is no exception.