Inoue Ryosai III (井上良斎), Japanese, (1888-1971)

A Sprouting Motif Vase (萌芽文花瓶)

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

About the work

A distinguished sprouting motif vase by the third-generation Inoue Ryosai, a celebrated Tokyo-born ceramic artist and member of the Japan Art Academy. This elegant work exemplifies Inoue’s refined aesthetic and technical mastery, featuring a spherical body that tapers delicately to a narrow mouth. The upper surface, in a soft ivory tone, is decorated with bold green and black sprouting motifs rendered in striking geometric balance. The lower body contrasts in a glossy jet-black glaze, creating a graceful interplay of matte and reflective textures.

The vase embodies the quiet dignity and composure characteristic of Inoue’s oeuvre, an expression of harmony and restraint that reflects both his personal temperament and deep reverence for classical form.

Accompanied by its original signed tomobako (wooden storage box).

Dimensions

22cm(h) x 19.5cm(w)

Footnote

Inoue Ryosai III (1888–1971) was born in Asakusa, Tokyo, into a family of potters who maintained a kiln along the Sumida River. After graduating from Kinjō Middle School, he began his ceramic career in 1905 and studied under the renowned Itaya Hazan. In 1928, he was first accepted into the Imperial Art Exhibition, and his distinguished career earned him numerous honors, including the Yokohama Cultural Award (1953) and the Japan Art Academy Prize (1959). Inoue was appointed a member of the Japan Art Academy and a director of the Nitten Exhibition in 1966, receiving the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in 1967. His works are celebrated for their refined dignity and quiet elegance—qualities reflecting his gentle personality and profound artistic sensibility.