Yamato Yasuo (大和保男), Japanese (b. 1933)

A Hagi Ensai Flattened Vase with Bird Handles (萩炎彩鳥耳扁壷)

Heisei Era (1989-2019) 

About the work

A distinctive Hagi ware flattened vase by Yasuo Yamato, combining a boldly sculptural form with the subtle qualities of glaze and firing associated with the Hagi tradition. The vessel is formed with a broad, circular flattened body supported on a short foot and surmounted by a narrow neck with a gently flared mouth.

The vase is particularly distinguished by its sculptural bird shaped handles, modelled beside the neck and giving the otherwise restrained form an imaginative, almost playful accent. The rounded body is covered predominantly in a softly lustrous cream glaze, enlivened by delicate speckling and natural variations produced during firing.

Across the shoulder, the pale body transitions dramatically into warm orange and reddish brown tones. This ensai (炎彩), or flame colouring, creates the impression of heat sweeping across the upper section of the vessel and provides a striking contrast to the quieter cream surface below. The changing glaze tones accentuate the curvature and asymmetry of the flattened form, ensuring that the vase presents a different character when viewed from each angle.

The work is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box (tomobako) and artist documentation.

Dimensions

27.5cm(h) x 19.8cm(w) x 9cm(d)

Footnote

Yamato Yasuo (born 1933) is an important Japanese ceramic artist and master of Hagi ware from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Introduced to pottery at a young age while assisting at the family kiln during the wartime shortage of craftsmen, he later trained formally under his father and developed a highly individual ceramic practice. Renowned for his innovative “ensai” works distinguished by vivid flame-like coloration and sculptural forms, Yamato has played a significant role in the evolution of contemporary Hagi ware. In 1988 he was designated a Holder of Intangible Cultural Property for Hagi ware by Yamaguchi Prefecture. His career includes numerous exhibitions and awards, among them the Japan Kōgei Association Prize and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2007. Internationally active, he also presented the “400 Years of Hagi Ware” exhibition in Paris in 2000, helping introduce modern Hagi ceramics to a wider global audience.