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

A “Ki Oribe” Tea Bowl

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

About the work

A vibrant and distinctive tea bowl by Mutsuo Yanagihara, featuring a striking composition of cobalt blue (konsai) and vivid yellow glaze in the Ki Oribe style. The interplay of color and form evokes both the freedom of contemporary ceramic expression and the refined asymmetry of traditional Japanese aesthetics.

The bowl’s bold palette and tactile surface embody Yanagihara’s modern reinterpretation of Oribe ware, fusing elegance with avant-garde dynamism. Signed to the base and accompanied by the original artist-inscribed tomobako (wooden storage box).

Dimensions

7.5cm(h) x 14.5cm(w) x 14cm(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.