SAIYU

At first glance I thought this saiyu mizusashi looked quite a bit like a piece by Shinkai Kanzan only to find out it was in fact by the Kutani potter, Asano Norio. Where Shinkai was influenced in this technique by Kiyomizu Rokubei VI, Asano came by this from his master Kitade Fujio before he moved on and set up his own studio and kiln, Kyokusen-gama. Like Shinkai, this technique uses paper resist with applied slip and then an almost Persian blue style glaze which has culminated into a thick blue roll at the base of the pot. A very thin cobalt wash was applied to the surface to accent the geometric design all of which is brought out to its fullest potential in the afternoon sunlight. This appears to be fairly early work of Asano and the the form, lid and knob are very simple in many respects it had to be to create a balance with the colorful and moving surface, a rather nice blend of form and function with a rather particular aesthetic thrown in for good measure.