Sawada Chitojin Square Vase Lustre Glaze Gold Karako Pattern Japanese Ceramic

A square-form vase by Sawada Chitojin, decorated with a lustre glaze and true-gold (hon-kingin) painting in a repeating karako (children) motif. This piece is of the same type as works shown in his solo exhibition.

Sawada Chitojin (1902-1977) was a Japanese ceramic artist born in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, who graduated from the Kyoto Municipal Ceramics Testing Institute's training school. He worked at various ceramic sites including the Arita Ceramics Testing Station, studied Chinese ceramics in Mie Prefecture, and in 1960 settled in Ureshino, Saga Prefecture, where he designed for numerous kilns and helped found Imari Toen in 1968, serving as its advisory designer. In 1997 he became the first Japanese ceramic artist to hold a solo exhibition at the British Museum's Japan Gallery, an event that brought him wide recognition after being praised by the museum's then Keeper of Japanese Antiquities, Lawrence Smith. His bold, expressive brushwork and lustre-glaze techniques drew comparisons to woodblock artist Munakata Shiko. He is also known for training and influencing later craftspeople in the Ureshino area.

Dimensions: Mouth diameter 4.8 cm, Height 29.2 cm, Base diameter 8.8 cm

Please refer to the photos for the item's current appearance and condition.