Takenaka Kō (竹中浩), Japanese (1941–2024)

A White-Porcelain Flattened Jar (白磁扁壺)

Shōwa Era (1926–1989), Heisei Era (1989–2019) or Reiwa Era (2019–present)

About the work

A refined white-porcelain flattened jar by Takenaka Kō, distinguished by a nearly circular front profile and a smooth, undecorated surface. Its quiet form gives particular prominence to the clarity of the porcelain and the balance of its proportions.

The broad body is compressed in depth, creating a sculptural silhouette that changes markedly when viewed from the side. A short cylindrical neck rises from the shoulder and ends in a softly projecting rim. Below, an oval foot provides a discreet base for the rounded body.

The pale glaze moves gently between brighter highlights and cooler shadows, allowing small changes in curvature to become visible. With no painted pattern to interrupt the surface, the eye follows the continuous outline from lip to shoulder and down towards the foot.

The jar exemplifies Takenaka’s attention to porcelain as both material and form. Accompanied by its original wooden box, inscribed to identify the white-porcelain jar.

Dimensions

21cm(h) x 17cm(w) x 8cm(d)

Footnote

Takenaka Kō (1941-2024) was born in Tokyo in 1941 and grew up in Obama, Fukui Prefecture. Inspired by Korean white porcelain, he began training under Kondō Yūzō in 1961 and established his own kiln in Kyoto’s Yamashina district in 1970. His ceramics place particular emphasis on clear form and the surface qualities of porcelain, including faceted and carved vessels as well as smooth, undecorated shapes. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1981 and was recognised as a holder of Kyoto Prefecture’s Intangible Cultural Property for ceramics in 1996. His work was exhibited widely in Japan and internationally.