The “fall bowl” post got me thinking more about Banura Shiro and I remembered a picture of a set I had handled and photographed. The set is a Hagi gohonde style serving bowl and set of mokozuke, all decorated en suite in varying tones of iron on slip and under an ash glaze. The surface is rich with spotting caused by the slip under the glaze and activates the form even more. The potting on these bowls is wonderful and one can easily image using them. Having seen and handled a number of his works, I am always amazed at how deceptively simple and honest his pots are.
Banura Shiro was from Iga prefecture and studied with Kawamura Kitaro before setting up his own studio. He had his first major exhibit at Nihonbashi Takashimiya in 1972. Exceptionally proficient at glazes and firing he worked with a wide variety of clays, glazes, underglazes and overglaze techniques and was very fond of “old style” under and over glaze brushwork and designs.
Perhaps his best known and most famous works are the collaborative pots and platters he made and his brother-in-law, Matazo Kayama decorated using techniques and technology developed by Banura. Kayama made majestic and sweeping designs heavily influenced by the Nihon-ga tradition he came from. A masterpiece can be seen in the Madame Kikuchi collection catalogue; JAPANESE CERAMICS TODAY. It is a large platter, over 51cm and depicts a mikazaki crescent moon over breaking waves.
Besides adding to the Rimpa tradition, Banura had several noteworthy apprentices, including Yasuda Michio (b. 1949) who carries on the pottery Rimpa style and Yoshitaka Hasu (b. 1949) who specializes in unique Iga anagama fired pottery with iron glaze additions.
Banura Shiro was from Iga prefecture and studied with Kawamura Kitaro before setting up his own studio. He had his first major exhibit at Nihonbashi Takashimiya in 1972. Exceptionally proficient at glazes and firing he worked with a wide variety of clays, glazes, underglazes and overglaze techniques and was very fond of “old style” under and over glaze brushwork and designs.
Perhaps his best known and most famous works are the collaborative pots and platters he made and his brother-in-law, Matazo Kayama decorated using techniques and technology developed by Banura. Kayama made majestic and sweeping designs heavily influenced by the Nihon-ga tradition he came from. A masterpiece can be seen in the Madame Kikuchi collection catalogue; JAPANESE CERAMICS TODAY. It is a large platter, over 51cm and depicts a mikazaki crescent moon over breaking waves.
Besides adding to the Rimpa tradition, Banura had several noteworthy apprentices, including Yasuda Michio (b. 1949) who carries on the pottery Rimpa style and Yoshitaka Hasu (b. 1949) who specializes in unique Iga anagama fired pottery with iron glaze additions.
(Used with the permission of a private collector)
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