Blue gourd vase Masao Tagai

Width: 15.5cm x 15.5cm Height: 19.0cm

This piece features a pale celadon glaze reminiscent of the clear sky, beneath which generous, large crazes run loosely. The gourd-shaped vase, with its plump upper and lower spheres, has long been considered an auspicious form symbolizing good health and good fortune, bringing a calming aura of good fortune to floor decorations. The smooth, mirror-like glaze surface softly reflects the surrounding light and hanging scrolls, while the craze lines emerge like an ink drawing, creating a sense of movement amidst the tranquility.

Glaze and Crazing

Color development of celadon glaze <br data-end="634" data-start="631">By adjusting the ferric oxide and firing at a high temperature under reduction, the glaze is switched to a more oxidized state towards the end of the process, bringing out the clear, rain-washed blue color that is not tinged with red.

Large Crazing <br data-end="731" data-start="728">The difference in expansion coefficient between the clay body and the glaze layer was intentionally designed to be large, and wide cracks were created by rapid cooling after firing. The lines that cross the curved surface have a rhythm of thick and thin, and spread out freely in response to the roundness of the gourd shape.

Ink dyeing process <br data-end="837" data-start="834">After firing, a brown dye is boiled and soaked into the piece, allowing the color to soak into the crazing veins. As the piece is used, flower water is added, giving the lines even more depth, allowing you to enjoy the sight of the piece growing.

Technical background

Masao Tagai, a full member of the Japan Crafts Association, specializes in thick-glazed celadon ware and has recently been working on the theme of "reinterpreting auspicious shapes." For this piece, he first shaped two spheres, one above the other, on a potter's wheel, then carved and hammered the delicate curves to achieve the harmonious curves characteristic of a gourd. To prevent the crazing from peeling off even with the thick glaze, the key to his technique is to incorporate a large amount of feldspar into the clay and adjust the glaze to a slightly higher viscosity.

history

The gourd shape has been beloved as a design symbolizing good fortune and success, as seen in ancient Chinese Taoist thought and Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Sennari Gourd in Japan. While a few examples of its combination with celadon can be found in the Longquan kilns of the Song dynasty, it developed independently in the Japanese tea ceremony from the early modern period onwards as a "playful spirit of sukiya." This piece builds on that tradition while reinterpreting it in a clear blue that harmonizes with modern minimalist spaces.

Viewing

The beauty of reflections <br data-end="1600" data-start="1597">The mirrored surface of the body gently reflects the light of hanging scrolls and lanterns, making the vessel itself a "mirror containing the scenery."

Expression of the incised lines <br data-end="1663" data-start="1660">When light shines on it from an angle, the lines take on a three-dimensional shadow, giving the impression of depth like an abstract ink painting.

Changes in the iron rim over time <br data-end="1730" data-start="1727">The iron rust on the rim gradually takes on a black luster due to the presence of water and the touch, further tightening the pale blue and ink lines.

This "Celadon Flower Vase (Gourd Shape)" is a masterpiece that embodies the harmony of stillness and movement, with its auspicious form, clear celadon glaze, and generous crisscross lines. Simply placing a single seasonal flower in it will bring a sense of freshness to the space, and as the crisscross lines deepen over the years, a story will grow alongside the vessel. We hope you will enjoy a long-lasting dialogue with flowers and carve your own unique landscape into this celadon vase.