Kato Seizo (加藤清三), Japanese (1930-1979)

A Nezumi Shino Flower Vase (鼠志野花入)

Showa Era (1926-1989)

About the work

An elegant Nezumi Shino flower vase by Japanese ceramic artist Seizo Kato, associated with Gengatsu Kiln (弦月窯). The vase has a graceful pear shaped body that rises through gently sloping shoulders into a slender neck and subtly flared mouth. Its balanced proportions provide a refined setting for the richly varied Shino glaze.

The exterior is covered in a thick, creamy white glaze that flows irregularly over the warm reddish brown clay beneath. Areas of soft grey, russet and deep iron brown emerge through the glaze, creating a complex interplay of colour and texture characteristic of Nezumi Shino. Numerous small iron speckles animate the surface, while pronounced glaze runs descend across the rounded body, lending the vessel a sense of movement.

The contrast between the pale glaze and exposed reddish clay becomes particularly expressive towards the lower body, where the glaze gathers and breaks into irregular patterns. The narrow neck and flared mouth retain warmer reddish tones, providing a subtle visual counterpoint to the predominantly pale surface. The underside reveals the natural clay body and bears the artist's incised mark.

The vase is accompanied by its original signed wooden tomobako together with the artist's stamped yellow cloth and documentation.

Dimensions

25cm(h) x 12cm(w)

Footnote

Born in 1930, Kato Seizo was a direct descendant of the renowned Mino pottery lineage. He became the 13th-generation head of the Kato family after the passing of his adoptive father, Kato Shirozaemon Kagemasa, in 1972. His work was frequently exhibited at prestigious events such as the Asahi Ceramic Exhibition, the Traditional Craft Exhibition, and the Japan Ceramic Exhibition, earning him recognition for his refined approach to Shino and Mino ware before his untimely passing in 1979.