This is a striking flattened jar by Kanjiro Kawai, a leading figure of the Mingei (Folk Craft) movement in Japan, known for its powerful yet delicate form.
The deep indigo color achieved through gosu (cobalt slip) and the bold, meticulously applied decoration harmonize beautifully, capturing the viewer's attention. The unique form exudes a sculptural presence. A rare and exceptional piece that encapsulates Kawai's philosophy and aesthetic vision.
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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