Blue porcelain incense burner Masao Tagai

Width: 14.4cm x 13.8cm Height: 12.5cm

This celadon incense burner is captivating, featuring a pale "rain-filled blue" color that seems to reflect the air after a rain shower, and ice cracks and crazes on both the lid and body. Tortoiseshell-shaped crazes run evenly beneath the soft, mirror-like sheen, lending a subtle sense of movement to the tranquil blue world. The lid is plump and rounded, like a bun, and three openwork holes that channel the incense smoke create a pleasant rhythm. The body is carved in stages, creating slight layers, and the bottom is carved on three sides to stand up like legs, achieving both a light and stable feel. The rim is covered in a thin layer of glaze, creating a silver-gray "iron edge" that brings the color of iron into the rim, giving the whole piece a crisp, clean look.

glaze

Masao Tagai keeps the iron powder content to less than 1%, and after firing at a high temperature using reduction, he uses a "reduction-off" method, which switches to oxidation only towards the end. This process produces a clear blue without any reddish tinge, and the slight milky layer remaining inside gives the color a depth.

Controlling ice crack penetration

By precisely adjusting the difference in the coefficient of expansion between the clay and the glaze layer and gradually combining rapid and slow cooling, we are able to create a uniform crazing effect. With repeated use, the oils of the fragrance will gradually seep into the piece, and you can enjoy the "growing scenery" of the cracks as they take on a hazy hue.

Mirror finish

After firing, a low-temperature reduction fire is performed to re-melt only the surface layer of the glaze, creating a moist luster that softly reflects light.

history

Incense burners are essential tools for Buddhist ceremonies, the art of incense burning, and incense-listening ceremonies, and Chinese celadon incense burners have been highly valued in Japan since the Muromachi period. In particular, the pale blue and iron rim of the Longquan kiln series resonates with the aesthetic sense of wabicha tea, and has been cherished as a scene symbolizing "purity" and "mysteriousness." While this piece builds on these classics, the addition of stepped carvings and a three-legged design gives it a lightness that stands out in modern spaces.

Viewing

Contrast of incense smoke and light <br data-start="1183" data-end="1186">The white incense smoke rising from the three perforations flickers against the pale blue glaze, creating a refreshing sensation both visually and olfactorily.

The wabi-sabi feel of the iron rim and iron legs <br data-start="1259" data-end="1262">The subtle silver-gray color of the rim and legs will develop a black luster over the years of use, further deepening the contrast with the blue.

Changes in the crazing over time <br data-start="1326" data-end="1329">The oils and heat from the incense cause the cracks to gradually change color, and over time they develop into a hazy pattern.

Masao Tagai's celadon incense burner is a vessel of "stillness and movement" with its clear blue color, ice-crazing indentations, and light design with a stepped body and three-legged legs. Just by burning a piece of incense wood, the space is purified, and the shadows created by the faint smoke highlight the depth of the blue glaze. Please enjoy watching the indentations grow over time and the iron rim acquire a glossy finish for many years to come.