Maeda Masahiro (前田正博), Japanese, b. 1948

A Polychrome Sake Cup with Gold and Silver Decoration (色絵金銀彩輪花酒盃)

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

About the work

This sake cup by Maeda Masahiro presents a refined fusion of sculptural form and painterly surface. The vessel is shaped in a subtle rin-bana form, its softly undulating rim creating a gentle floral rhythm when viewed from above. The profile is low and poised, with a carefully balanced foot that gives the cup both stability and elegance.

The surface is richly decorated in polychrome enamels layered with gold and silver accents. Deep blues and purplish tones interlock with darker passages, forming a faceted, almost geometric composition that wraps around the exterior and continues into the interior. The metallic highlights catch the light delicately, adding depth and luminosity without overpowering the underlying color fields. A fine gilt line traces the rim, crisply defining the silhouette and reinforcing the sense of precision and finish.

The interior echoes the exterior palette, creating a cohesive visual experience when the cup is held and tilted. The foot is left in exposed clay, providing a warm contrast to the dense, jewel like surface above and grounding the piece materially. 

Dimensions

4.8cm(h) x 9.6cm(w) x 9.7cm(d)

Footnote

Maeda Masahiro, born in 1948 in Kyoto Prefecture, is a leading contemporary Japanese ceramic artist known for innovative overglaze porcelain. After graduating from the Tokyo University of the Arts and completing its graduate program, he developed a distinctive approach that departs from traditional iro-e methods. From the late 1980s, he began using low glass Western pigments layered, scraped, and masked to create richly textured gold and silver decorated surfaces, a technique he calls yōsai. A full member of the Japan Kōgei Association, Maeda has exhibited widely in Japan and internationally and remains an influential figure in modern Japanese ceramics.