PLOVERS AND WAVES

It is crystal clear as you look at this chawan the influences of the past on the decoration; there are elements of the Rimpa masters starting off with Ogata Korin and Kenzan with hints of Sakai Hoitsu and Suzuki Kiitsu a century later. The use of the lyrical waves, waterwheel and playful plovers conjures up the atmosphere of Rimpa during the 18th and 19th centuries in Kyoto where decoration and poetic inspiration reigned supreme and the style was known as "the aesthetics of the capital". This chawan made by Enyu specialist, Ajiki Hiro has that blended presence of Kyo-yaki and Rimpa influenced pottery despite being made in rather modern times. This chawan is large but light with an inviting presence that is made all the more so through the playful and wispy decoration where the plovers flitter about the surface of the clay canvas. The clever use of slip over clay makes for a bright canvas where the majority of the brushwork decoration takes place and the naked clay acts as a framework for the painting. The chawan is glazed in a soft appearing clear glaze that doesn't obscure any of the original art work on the bowl and only acts to enhance and preserve it like a fine and well applied varnish on an oil painting's canvas where all is balanced on a casually yet sturdy tooled foot. Though not illustrated the other part of this narrative is laid out across the wood box that is extensively painted carrying on the theme and revolving around the pair of plovers, more pictures at another day.