▲This celadon bowl is an early work by Kanjiro Kawai, created before his involvement in the Mingei (folk craft) movement. During this formative period, Kawai drew inspiration from Chinese and Korean ceramics, while searching for his own artistic voice. This piece stands as a rare and important example from that stage of his career.
▲The jade-like glaze, elegant form, and subtle carved patterns reveal Kawai’s refined sensibility even in his early years. Unlike his later folk craft–oriented works, this bowl carries the quiet resonance of classical East Asian ceramics, making it an essential piece for understanding the breadth of his artistry.
▲The mark of "鐘渓窯" can be seen on the bottom.
▲As an early Kawai creation, it holds exceptional value for collectors.
▲The box is inscribed by Takeichi KAWAI, a nephew of Kanjiro KAWAI.
Box written by Takeichi Kawai
Taisho
D16.5cm H12cm
These works were produced in his early period, before he joined the folk art movement advocated by Yanagi Muneyoshi, and were modeled after old Chinese and Korean ceramics. The high degree of perfection of his works at his first solo exhibition led to the acclaim and media coverage of his work as "a comet suddenly appeared," which made Kanjiro's name widely known. The mark of "鐘渓窯" can be seen on the bottom. The box is inscribed by Takeichi Kawai, a nephew of Kanjiro Kawai.
Kanjiro KAWAI
1890 - 1966
Kanjirou Kawai was a Kyoto-based potter within the folk tradition of Japanese and Korean ceramics and a key figure in Mingei (Japanese folk art movement). He was a long-time friend of Shōji Hamada, Soetsu Yanagi, and Bernard Leach with whom he co-founded the Japan Folk Art Association in 1926. He refused all official honors, such as the designation of “Living National Treasures,” He often decorated his works with bold, semiabstract blossom motifs, which he painted freely in under-glaze cobalt blue, iron brown, and copper red.
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