Wonderful rustic chawan with Rimpa style decoration in black and gold by Iga based potter Banura Shiro (1941-2001). Banura was a potter of tremendous skill and artistic sensibility and his chawan and mizusashi have a simple Edo style to them. He treated many of his pots, especially his hachi platters as paintings, adorning them with various foliage, fish and other fauna. He made some collaborative works with his brother-in-law, the famous Nihonga painter, Matazo Kayama (1927-2004).
Subtle mizusashi surrounded by falling maple leaves over a stone like surface and finished off with a rich black lacquered lid.
Banura is one of the outstanding Rimpa style potters of modern Japan and his works show the influence of Ogata Kenzan among others. Having handled a number of his pieces, his chawan feel wonderful in the hand and this chawan just make me think of “fall”.
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