Vase Sometsuke Ryu Dragon | The first-generation head of the Shinemon Kiln [146181]

[size]
Width: 24.3cm / Height: 33cm
Width: 9.6in / Height: 13in

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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 renowned kilns of Arita ware. Standing at 25cm tall, it is a large and commanding work. On the broad canvas of the vase, a dynamic dragon is boldly depicted in sometsuke (blue-and-white underglaze), giving the piece a powerful presence.

While the current Shinemon Kiln is celebrated as a master of the Y?hen technique?manipulating glazes to produce dramatic effects?this work is not a Y?hen piece. Rather, it is painted in sometsuke, a traditional and foundational Arita technique. This is because it was created during the career of the first-generation Shinemon, Shinichiro Baba, who laid the foundations of the kiln. The expressive brushwork seen here showcases his skill through the classic technique of sometsuke. Since the current Shinemon Kiln rarely produces sometsuke works, this piece is now regarded as exceptionally rare and valuable.

The vase itself has a striking form that naturally draws attention even without flowers. Its wide opening provides stability and balance, allowing for a bold and elegant floral arrangement when in use.

The dragon depicted on the vase is a highly important symbol in Asian culture, especially in China and Japan, where it is revered as a sacred and powerful being. Dragons often represent prosperity and good fortune?particularly in Chinese culture, where they are believed to bring wealth and success. They are also symbols of wisdom and knowledge, often portrayed in legends as wise beings who impart their insight. Additionally, dragons embody courage and boldness, facing adversity head-on and overcoming challenges?qualities that continue to inspire.

From a technical perspective, this work was created using the sometsuke method, in which cobalt pigment is applied directly to the unglazed bisque body before the glaze is added. This technique requires confident and fluid brushwork, as the absorbent surface does not allow for corrections?each stroke is final. The painter must have patience, intense focus, and a strong sense of composition. This piece brings all of those elements together, demonstrating the artist’s mastery through a single, uninterrupted execution.


[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."