Ken Matsuzaki (松崎建), Japanese (b. 1950)

A Kohiki Tea Bowl (粉吹茶碗) 

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

About the work

A refined Kohiki tea bowl by Ken Matsuzaki, one of Japan's leading contemporary ceramic artists and a distinguished disciple of Living National Treasure Shimaoka Tatsuzō. While best known for his dynamic Oribe and wood-fired works, Matsuzaki is equally admired for his Kohiki ceramics, where subtle surfaces and quiet elegance reveal the beauty of natural materials and the unpredictability of the kiln.

The bowl is generously potted with gently flaring walls and a balanced, inviting form that sits comfortably in the hands. A soft white cosmetic slip (kohiki) covers the stoneware body, creating a luminous ivory surface enriched by countless variations in tone. Delicate iron specks emerge through the slip, while subtle grey brushwork and flowing glaze accents animate the exterior with understated movement.

The base bears the artist's impressed seal, and the tea bowl is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box (tomobako) and the artist's information sheet.

Dimensions

8.4cm(h) x 13cm(w) x 12.8cm(d)

Footnote

Ken Matsuzaki, born in 1950 in Tokyo, is a renowned ceramic artist trained at Tamagawa University's School of Fine Arts. After apprenticing under Tatsuzo Shimaoka in Mashiko, he established his kiln, Yuushin Gama. Known for blending traditional Shino, Oribe, and yohen glazes with modern aesthetics, his works are celebrated worldwide and included in prestigious collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum.