Bamboo-Shaped Vase Sometsuke Sansui Landscape | The first-generation head of the Shinemon Kiln [146183]

[size]
Width: 6.5cm / Height: 21cm
Width: 2.6in / Height: 8.3in

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This piece was created by the late Shinichiro Baba, the first-generation Shinemon and founder of the Shinemon Kiln?one of the most prominent kilns representing Arita ware. The vase is shaped to resemble a bamboo tube and features a boldly painted landscape (*sansui*) in *sometsuke* (blue-and-white underglaze). Crafted with Arita’s refined techniques, this bamboo-inspired form embodies key elements of Japanese aesthetics such as tranquility, elegance, and *wabi-sabi*.

While the modern Shinemon Kiln is highly regarded for its mastery of *Y?hen*?a glaze technique known for its dramatic and organic transformations?this piece is not a *Y?hen* work. It was painted using the *sometsuke* technique, as it was created by the first-generation Shinemon, Shinichiro Baba, during his active career. The use of *sometsuke*, a foundational painting method in Arita ware, reveals the artist’s exceptional skill and sensitivity. Since the current kiln rarely produces *sometsuke* pieces, this work is now considered extremely rare and valuable.

The shape is strikingly unique, modeled after a slender bamboo stalk, making it ideal for use as a single-stem flower vase (*ichirin-zashi*). The refined craftsmanship captures the poised, upright form of bamboo?symbolizing stillness and vitality?bringing a quiet dignity to any Japanese-style interior. When a single flower is placed within, the harmony between nature and vessel becomes a moment of meditative beauty, evoking the elegance of empty space (*yohaku*).

The painted motif, *sansui* (landscape), traditionally features elements such as mountains, rivers, trees, rocks, and lakes, often with little emphasis on human presence. If figures or structures do appear, they are depicted small within the vastness of nature. *Sansui* painting is deeply influenced by Taoism, Confucianism, and Zen Buddhism, philosophies that value harmony with nature. These works reflect spiritual and philosophical exploration through the lens of the natural world. The landscape theme is widely seen in traditional East Asian art, including hanging scrolls and ink paintings, and is considered a classic subject.

From a technical standpoint, this piece was executed in *sometsuke*, a method in which cobalt blue pigment is applied directly to the unglazed bisque surface before glazing. The flowing brushstrokes and delicate touches characteristic of this technique bring the landscape to life with clarity and subtlety. Because the pigment is absorbed immediately by the porous surface, no corrections can be made?each brushstroke is a single, decisive act. This work was completed through a combination of patience, concentration, and compositional mastery.


[Potter Profile]
Shinichiro Baba (deceased)

The first-generation head of the Shinemon Kiln
Member of Nitten / Full Member of the Japan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Association / Member of the Saga Prefecture Ceramic Association / Member of the Arita Ceramic Association

[Shinichiro Baba's career is as follows ]
Born in 1924 in Arita, Saga Prefecture
1972: Founded the Shinemon Kiln in Arita.
1979: Selected for the Prefecture Exhibition with "Hexagonal Celadon Bowl."
1981: Selected for the Nitten exhibition with "Oil Spot Tenmoku Large Bowl," subsequently selected 21 times.
1989: Appointed as an art exhibition judge.
2000: Exhibited "Saiun-99" and "Sai-99" at the British Museum in London (Saga Prefecture Ceramic Exhibition).
2004: Exhibited "Saikei" and "Saimon" at the Arita Pottery Exhibition in Germany.

[Main Awards]
1983: Won the First Place Bijutsu Kyokai Prize at the Bijutsu Kyokai Exhibition for "Cinnabar Flower Vase."
1986: Received the Grand Prize and the Contemporary Craft President's Prize at the Contemporary Crafts Kyushu Exhibition.
1996: Awarded the Contemporary Craft Prize at the Contemporary Craft Exhibition for "Akebono no Nagisa."
2000: Received the Full Member Prize at the Contemporary Craft Exhibition for "Rensaku・Sai."