Kanji Atarashi (新歓嗣) Japanese, b. 1944

An Iga Ware Flower Vase (伊賀花入)

Showa Era (1926-1989), Heisei Era (1989-2019) or Reiwa Era (2019-present)

About the work

A commanding Iga ware flower vase by Kanji Atarashi, showcasing the primal textures and natural ash effects that define this storied tradition. The piece features a powerful, rounded form with a tapering base and a subtly flared mouth—expressing both weight and balance in its silhouette.

The surface is alive with contrasts born of wood-firing: fire-kissed blushes in rich hi-iro (flame color), flecks of vitrified ash, and raw, unglazed clay that reveals the gritty, feldspar-studded Iga body. The form evokes ancient storage vessels, while the surface bears the marks of both nature and fire, elevating it as a modern expression of wabi-sabi aesthetics.

The vase bears the artist’s impressed seal on the base and comes with its original signed tomobako (wooden box) and protective cloth.

Dimensions

10.8cm(h) x 12.3cm(w)

Footnote

Kanji Atarashi was born in Osaka in 1944 and studied ceramics at the Osaka Art Craft Design Ceramic Department, graduating in 1968. After working as a ceramics and textile instructor, he established his own studio in Kishiwada in 1971. His early involvement in the archaeological excavation of ancient Sue ware kilns sparked a lifelong engagement with traditional ceramic techniques. In 1975, he relocated to Iga Ueno, where he built his kiln and immersed himself in the legacy of Iga ware—producing powerful, fire-born forms rooted in Japanese ceramic history.