Potter: Kimura Mitsuru

Approximate size: W3.9″ by W6.0″ by H8.8″ or 10.0 by 15.5 by 22.5 cm

This is a large Mashiko ware vase with a kai-yu or ash-glaze – overlaid with a wax-resist decoration of flowers, made by the potter Mitsuru Kimura (1939-1998). He was born in Fujihara, Tochigi prefecture in 1939. Through marriage with Kimura Ichiro’s first daughter in 1968, he started studying under his new father-in-law. Years pass and Kimura Ichiro retired from potting, Mitsuru inherited the name and became the second generation working from the kiln. Like this ash glaze and wax-resist decoration, his style is different from Shoji Hamada and Kanjiro Kawai – the defining masters that are responsible for initiating events which would lead to the creation of what is know as ‘mingei‘.

Mitsuru Kimura has held private exhibitions of his late father-in-law’s posthumous works in Utsunomiya and Ueno and of his own works in Matsudo, the Isetan in Takasaki and Berlin. As expected his works show many qualities alike his teacher but moreso become a unique blend of the styles that were developing around him. Experiencing the atmosphere of mingei from a less frequently encountered potter.

Absent of chips or cracks. Condition is excellent and comes with the original high quality paulownia tomobako, storage box of which the inside of the lid bears Mitsuru Ichiro’s calligraphy and seal. The storage box has the slots to hold a cord but currently does not have one.

€500 + shipping cost