Original Box
D14cm H9cm
This is a "Tetsuyaku Tansha Flower Bowl" by Kanjiro Kawai (1890–1966), one of Japan’s most renowned ceramic artists and a central figure in the Mingei (folk craft) movement.
The bowl features floral motifs on its body, created using the tsutsugaki technique, in which raised outlines are drawn to add a sense of depth and texture to the design. Two floral patterns are placed symmetrically on opposite sides of the bowl, each oriented in reverse to the other, showcasing a balanced and refined aesthetic.
The surface of the entire piece displays fine crazing (crackle glaze), adding a rich character that deepens over time. The foot of the bowl exhibits Kawai’s signature bold and stable form, reflecting the presence of the artist’s hand in its creation. This is a truly expressive and captivating work of Japanese ceramic art.
Kanjiro KAWAI（河井寛次郎）
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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