Yanagihara Mutsuo (柳原睦夫), Japanese, b. 1934

A Glazed Ceramic Box (釉彩陶筥)

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

About the work

A captivating ceramic box by Yanagihara Mutsuo, celebrated for his bold sculptural sensibility and richly expressive glazes. The compact, architectural form features a square body raised on four small feet, paired with a precisely fitted lid topped by a striking asymmetrical handle that rises upward like a sculptural gesture.

The elegant white surface serves as a crisp ground for dramatic sweeps of glossy black and chocolate-brown glaze, pooling and feathering with subtle textural variation. This interplay of minimalist form and dynamic glaze movement embodies Yanagihara’s mastery, where refined restraint meets powerful artistic expression.

The underside bears the artist’s signature mark, and the work is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box, confirming its authenticity and studio provenance.

Dimensions

8cm(h) x 5.5cm(w) x 5.5cm(d)

Footnote

Yanagihara Mutsuo (b. 1934) is celebrated as a pioneer of contemporary Japanese ceramics. Originally intending to study design, he was encouraged by Tomimoto Kenkichi to pursue ceramics at Kyoto City University of Arts, where he trained alongside future Living National Treasures and avant-garde innovators. Time spent in the United States during the 1960s exposed him to Pop Art and modern culture, which reshaped his vision of the ceramic vessel. Drawing on both Sueki forms and modern sculptural language, he developed a style that merges traditional utsuwa with bold, abstract expression. His Oribe works, such as this chawan, embody that synthesis of tradition and innovation.