Large Vase Kodai Sometsuke Sansui Landscape | The first-generation head of the Shinemon Kiln [146195]

[size]
Width: 29 cm / Height: 35.7 cm
Width: 11.4 in / Height: 14 in

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This is a masterpiece by the late Sh inichiro Baba, the first-generation founder of the Sh inemon Kiln, one of the most renowned kilns represent ing Arita ware. Stand ing over 35 cm tall, this impos ing work features a bold landscape pa int ing (sansui) executed in traditional blue-and-white (sometsuke) decoration on a large vase as its canvas.

Today, the Sh inemon Kiln is widely recognized as a lead ing studio in the art of “Yohen,” a technique of skillfully manipulat ing glazes to achieve strik ing effects. However, this work was not created in the Yohen style, but rather in sometsuke. This is because it was made by Sh inichiro Baba himself dur ing his career, at the time he founded the kiln. Through sometsuke, one of the most fundamental pa int ing techniques in Arita ware, he expressed his artistic mastery. S ince sometsuke works are rarely produced by the current Sh inemon Kiln, this piece has now become an extremely rare example.

The vase itself has an octagonal form, softly faceted into eight sides. The gentle edges catch the light, creat ing shadows that add both quiet tension and ref inement to the shape. This softened octagonal design comb ines sharpness with grace, impart ing a modern impression to the surround ing space.

The pa inted subject, sansui (landscape), depicts natural scenery such as mounta ins, rivers, lakes, trees, and rocks, with little emphasis on the human presence. When humans or build ings are shown, they appear small, highlight ing the grandeur of nature. Landscape pa int ing has long been influenced by Daoism, Confucianism, and Zen Buddhism, all of which respect nature and seek harmony with it. Thus, sansui expresses philosophical and spiritual pursuits through depictions of nature. Beyond ceramics, this theme is also a central subject in traditional ink pa int ings on hang ing scrolls, represent ing one of the most classical motifs in East Asian art.

From the perspective of technique, this vase showcases the sometsuke method, in which designs are pa inted onto the unglazed clay body before glaz ing. The flow ing brushstrokes and delicate touches of this technique are perfectly suited to render ing the subtle world of landscape pa int ing. S ince the absorbent surface of the bisque-fired body does not allow for corrections, each brushstroke must be executed with precision in a s ingle attempt. This piece embodies patience, concentration, and compositional skill, result ing in a truly accomplished work.



[Potter Profile]
Sh inichiro Baba (deceased)

The first-generation head of the Sh inemon 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


[Sh inichiro Baba's career is as follows ]
Born in 1924 in Arita, Saga Prefecture
1972: Founded the Sh inemon 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: Appo inted 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.

[Ma in Awards]
1983: Won the First Place Bijutsu Kyokai Prize at the Bijutsu Kyokai Exhibition for "C innabar 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."