Box inscription by Tsune KAWAI
D18cm H16cm
This “jikiro” (lidded food container) by Kanjirō Kawai is a quiet yet striking work, showcasing the harmony between form and glaze. The exterior is covered in a warm, lustrous iron glaze, while the interior contrasts beautifully with a soft celadon glaze. It exemplifies Kawai’s philosophy of merging utility with beauty.
A rare example of both functional design and sculptural artistry, this piece is accompanied by its original wooden box (tomobako), inscribed by Kawai’s wife, Tsune Kawai — offering a glimpse into the personal world surrounding the artist.
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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