Shinsaku Hamada (濱田晋作), Japanese, (1929-2023)
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A Black Glazed Dish with Iron Tube-Painted Decoration (黒釉錆筒描皿)
Showa Era (1926-1989) or Heisei Era (1989-2019)
About the work
A beautifully composed black glazed dish by Shinsaku Hamada, one of the leading figures in modern Mashiko pottery and the son of Living National Treasure Hamada Shōji. Deeply influenced by the ideals of the Mingei (Folk Craft) movement, Shinsaku developed his own distinctive style, combining the warmth of traditional folk pottery with refined artistic expression.
The dish is of broad, shallow form with gently rising sides and a subtly everted rim, creating an elegant canvas for its expressive decoration. The interior is coated in a lustrous black glaze, over which sweeping bands of iron tube-painted (sabi tsutsugaki) decoration are applied in warm reddish-brown tones. Executed with remarkable confidence, the flowing motifs traverse the surface in broad rhythmic arcs, creating a dynamic abstract composition that recalls stylised landscapes or overlapping mountain forms. Fine iron speckling throughout the glaze enriches the surface with depth and texture, while the striking contrast between the glossy black ground and the warm iron decoration exemplifies Hamada's masterful command of brushwork and glaze.
The dish bears the artist's impressed seal on the underside and is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box (tomobako).
Dimensions
4.7cm(h) x 27cm(w)
Footnote
Shinsaku Hamada, the second-generation head of the Hamada Kiln, dedicated his life to continuing the legacy of his father, Shoji Hamada, a key figure in the Mingei movement. Educated in ceramics at Waseda University, Shinsaku combined traditional Mashiko ware with modern innovation. His work maintained the rustic charm of folk crafts while experimenting with form and design. He received numerous awards for his contributions, including the Tochigi Prefecture Cultural Merit Award. Hamada also served as director of the Mashiko Reference Collection, where he helped preserve and celebrate the heritage of Mashiko ceramics.