Nezumi Shino Vase by Suzuki Tomio

Description

Shino pottery was first fired during the Momoyama era (1568-1603) at kilns in Minō, and its appearance marked a dramatic shift in the evolution of Japanese ceramic art.  Its distinctive pinhole texture attracted the eyes of tea ceremony practitioners of the day who soon incorporated shino-yaki into the evolving art of chanoyu tea ceremony.

To further enhance shino's visual appeal, Suzuki Tomio approaches every unglazed pot as a landscape architect would an undeveloped plot of earth.  It first requires slow, thoughtful sculpting before anything is lain upon it.  As a result, his clay creations are renowned for their terraced surfaces, ridges, and winding vistas.

This stately vase is done in nezumi (lit. "mouse") shino, as denoted by its soft grey hues.  A terrain of deeply crackled feldspar is cut with furrows and facets that spiral upward, naturally inviting exploration around the work.

The piece is tall enough to accommodate grand ikébana compositions of branches and long stemmed flowers.  As an interior piece, however, it commands equal attention all on its own.

Suzuki Tomio's shino pottery is held in private collections around the world and, in 2011, was acquired by the Philadelphia Museum of Art for display in their East Asian Art collection.

A wooden presentation box will be custom made to order and signed by the artist.  Delivery time for this item is 2 weeks.

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