At first
glance it is easy to see what appears to be a classic modern Shino bowl form in
this illustration but the surface is neither typical of the pot or potter being
fired Shigaraki style. Thrown and fired by Mino traditional veteran, Wakao
Toshisada, this particular bowl form is highly typical of the potter who on occasion
creates a number of pots that are distinctly outside his normal range including
Karatsu, hakeme, kohiki, Shigaraki and over-glaze enamel pieces this chawan was
thrown out of a durable Shigaraki clay and has a nice, rich coat of ash with
areas punctuated by melting feldspar and fiery hi-iro patches making for a
lovely wood fired pot that pays homage to traditions of the past, both
Shigaraki and Mino. I have seen a wide array of pots by Wakao Toshisada and am
always left satisfied by his ability to create thoughtful and classic works
infused with his distinctive touch whether they be his trademark Rimpa style
pieces or his more classic works in Shino, Seto-Guro and Oribe. Though not within
the traditional boundaries of Mino, you can get hints of that classicism in
this chawan through the posture, character and form that only a well seasoned
and practiced potter could get away with.
"It is
an unscrupulous intellect that does not pay to antiquity its due
reverence." Desiderius Erasmus
(1466-1536)
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