Hagi-nagashi beveled vase by Rakusai Onishi

Width: 7.5cm Height: 15.1cm

The "Hagi Nagashi Beveled Vase" by Onishi Rakusai is a masterpiece that perfectly blends classical techniques with modern sensibilities. This vase is made using beveled techniques to create a polyhedral shape, and its unique feature is that you can enjoy different expressions depending on the angle from which you view it. The appeal is that just by changing how it is placed, the color changes, making it feel like a completely different piece of work.

Characteristics of the chamfering technique

Chamfering is a technique for carving the surface of ceramics to create a polyhedron, which gives it a sharp impression. However, in this piece, the glaze is applied thickly to soften the corners. This gives it a sharp look, but at the same time, it also has a gentle and warm impression. Furthermore, the chamfering makes it easier for the fingers to grip, making it easier to hold and less likely to slip, making it a practical piece.

Tradition and Innovation of Hagi Nagashi

Its origins date back 400 years to the brothers Ri Seok-gwang and Ri Gyeong, potters who came to Japan from the Korean Peninsula with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The techniques they brought to Japan were developed in Hagi, forming the foundations of modern Hagi ware. While inheriting the style of the Yi Dynasty, Hagi ware was also influenced by Raku ware, evolving into works with its own unique character.

Onishi Rakusai's "Hagi Nagashi Beveled Vase" respects the tradition of Hagi glaze while incorporating a modern aesthetic sense. The beauty of its colors draws the viewer in, like a natural landscape.

As a favorite work of Yamamura Goryu

This vase is also known as a favorite item of the Yamamura School. Yamamura School is a school of flower arrangement centered around Fumonzan Enshoji Temple in Yamamachi, Nara City, and began as a nunnery founded by Princess Bunchi, the first daughter of Emperor Gomizunoo. The work is highly regarded as a prestigious vase that meets the tastes of this historic school.

With the change of seasons

The Hagi Nagashi Beveled Vase changes its appearance with the changing of the seasons, creating a different atmosphere depending on the place where it is displayed. In spring, you can enjoy the colors reminiscent of the budding of new greenery, and in autumn, the colors of the autumn leaves. This vase has a beautiful appearance throughout the four seasons, and it can be said to be a work that truly embodies the beauty of Japan's nature.