Original wooden box
Showa
D14.5cm×14.5cm H22cm
This is a remarkably powerful and dignified ceramic vase crafted by Kanjiro Kawai (1890–1966), a towering giant of modern Japanese ceramics who sublimated the core spirit of the Mingei (Folk Art) movement into his own unique form of modern art.
The sturdy, rooted body, which exudes a comforting sense of stability, features a rich cobalt Gosu (underglaze blue) ground adorned with a Kusae (grass/floral) motif executed in bold, fluid brushwork. Capturing the raw, surging vitality of a plant rooting firmly in the earth and sprouting powerfully toward the sky, this expressive painting instantly captivates any viewer.
More than a functional vessel, this exceptional piece stands alone as a commanding sculptural object. Merely placing it in a room completely transforms the atmosphere of the space, radiating an overwhelming and unforgettable artistic presence.
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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