Tokuda Yasokichi III (三代 徳田八十吉), Japanese, (1933–2009)

A Saiyu Glaze Patterned Vase (碧明釉小紋壷)

Heisei Era (1989–2019)

About the work

This striking vase by Tokuda Yasokichi III exemplifies the height of his Saiyu glaze technique, presenting a monumental yet perfectly balanced spherical form. The body rises with quiet authority, capped by a slender neck that accentuates the vessel’s refined silhouette. Encircling the upper register is a luminous band of finely patterned color, transitioning seamlessly through shades of green, blue, and gold before dissolving into a deep, mirror like black glaze below. The surface possesses a jewel like depth, with subtle gradations that shift under changing light, demonstrating the artist’s absolute control of color and temperature.

Both sculptural and meditative, the vase stands as a mature expression of Tokuda’s pursuit of abstraction through color. 

Dimensions

27cm(h) x 24cm(w) x 24cm(d)

Footnote

Tokuda Yasokichi III (1933–2009) was one of the most celebrated Kutani ceramic artists of the modern era. Born in Ishikawa Prefecture, he inherited and transformed techniques passed down from his grandfather Tokuda Yasokichi I and father Tokuda Yasokichi II. Rejecting figurative decoration, he developed the innovative Saiyu glaze method, producing complex color gradations through high temperature firing. In 1997, he was designated a Living National Treasure for his mastery of colored glaze ceramics. His works are held in major international collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The British Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution.