Simple in design, execution and
decoration but regal in its bearing, this Tang dynasty influenced melon shaped
chaire exudes a sense of luxury and brings to mind the lyrical poetry of that
period . As a combination of his father's work, historical archetypes and his
own personal expression, this chaire by Kato Kobei VII is a visual gem. The
fluted form has rich aubergine tones that define the form vertically while the
whole is cloaked in a soft and tranquil amethyst glaze with accents of a stark
yellow and green which calls the eye to this sancai influenced pot. Kato Kobei
VII has blended not only Chinese and Japanese elements in this distinctly
Japanese pot, but has put his own stamp on the style in the manner in which the
elements of this chaire were created. Though an amalgam of time and geography,
this pot has a sense of being distinctly ancient and modern at the same moment.
"When Cold Mountain (Han
Shan) is cold
Ice seals the rocks
Storing mountain-green
The sun shines forth
The ice melts a while
And on this warmth
An old man survives." (An
early Tang Dynasty poem by a mostly anonymous poet)
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