Original Wooden Box
Showa
D30cm×19cm H4.5cm
A refined rectangular ceramic dish by Kawai Kanjiro, a master of modern Japanese pottery, featuring a harmonious balance between structured form and expressive design.
The rectangular body, crafted with subtly contoured corners, is accented at both ends with decorative lug handles featuring small pierced holes. The overall piece is framed in deep navy and iron glaze tones, while the central roundel dynamically showcases a charming botanical motif outlined in white slip-trailing (tsutsugaki).
The contrast between the calm, subdued texture of the outer glaze and the warm hues at the center creates a captivating visual depth, making this masterwork a standout decorative display piece.
Kiln marks formed during firing are visible on the section featuring the floral design.
Kanjiro KAWAI（河井寛次郎）
1890 - 1966
Kanjiro 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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