Imaizumi Imaemon XIII (十三代 今泉今右衛門), Japanese, 1926–2001

A gourd-shaped Iro-Nabeshima Vase (色鍋島吹墨草花文瓢瓶)

Showa Era (1926-1989) or Heisei Era (1989-2019)

About the work

A refined gourd-shaped porcelain vase by the 13th Generation Imaizumi Imaemon, one of the leading masters of modern Nabeshima ware. The elegant double-gourd form is decorated with scrolling floral motifs executed in the sophisticated Iro-Nabeshima palette of vivid iron red, soft turquoise, and delicate underglaze blue. The luminous cobalt ground, created using the celebrated fukizumi (sprayed shading) technique, gives the surface remarkable depth and softness while enhancing the graceful botanical decoration.

The beautifully balanced silhouette and restrained ornamentation exemplify the harmony between classical Nabeshima aesthetics and modern ceramic sensibility that characterised Imaemon’s work. The refined enamelwork, crisp detailing, and subtle gradation of colour demonstrate the extraordinary technical precision for which the Imaemon kiln became internationally admired.

Dimensions

24.6cm(h) x 13.5cm(w)

Footnote

Imaizumi Imaemon XIII (十三代 今泉今右衛門, 1926–2001) was one of the foremost masters of modern Iro-Nabeshima porcelain. Born as the eldest son of the 12th Generation Imaemon, he graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1949 and devoted himself to revitalising Nabeshima aesthetics through a contemporary perspective. After succeeding to the family title in 1975, he reorganised the Imaemon Iro-Nabeshima Preservation Society, which received designation as an Important Intangible Cultural Property. He established the celebrated sometsuke-fukizumi and usuzumi-fukizumi techniques, earning numerous distinctions including the Japan Ceramic Society Gold Prize and the Mainichi Art Award. In 1989, he was designated a Living National Treasure for overglaze enamel porcelain (iroe jiki).