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A 30-minute drive south from our Mishima gallery brings us to Shuzenji, a small "onsen" hot-spring village snugged between the hills of the Izu Peninsula. In the hills of Shuzenji works the extremely talented ceramic artist Nagaoka Masami (b.1948). Nagaoka is not only well-versed in medieval Iga and Shigaraki wares, he has developed a creative and distinct style, as well as nurturing the skill of getting superb firings from his very small anagama kiln; surely evident on this intensely fired te-oke 'handled bucket' form vase. This form is based on old wooden buckets found at Japanese Buddhist temples. Nagaoka's Shigaraki uses Kinose clay (the highest grade of Shigaraki clay), and that brings out hi-iro fire color on the form, here seen in a deep ember brown on the front; the rest of the vase is covered in natural ash glaze and a crusty-surfaced back. A very wabi piece and perfect for chabana; in perfect condition with a signed box, 25.5cm.tallx13x12.5, signed on base.
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