GOLDEN FORM

I have mentioned my fondness for books covering older modern Japanese pottery and truth be told, I also like pots that cover the breath of the Showa era very much. The illustrated vase is a classic piece made toward the end of the Showa era, sometime in the 1980's by Kyoto potter, Suzuki Kenji (1935-2010). Suzuki Kenji came from a pottery family including his brother Suzuki Takuji and his father Kiyoshi was a distinguished potter who favored sometsuke and enamel work who taught his two sons his craft. Kenji had a profound sense of mastery of form and glazes and this particular vase has a rather clever and intriguing form which is then glazed over in a pale, golden brown to sea-foam style glaze with crisp decoration done in over-glaze gold. The streaked glaze and gold over-glaze match very well together and accentuate the novel form which despite is angles is all about pure utility with a hint of Suzuki Kenji's international and Kyoto based perspectives and influences.  At the end of the day it is quite easy to see this vase put to good use for flowers or taking up a favorite space as a nice display piece, the choice is yours.

A different version this time around;