Yoshimoto Tadashi (吉本正) Japanese, b. 1943

A Bizen Tokkuri (備前徳利)

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

About the work

A refined Bizen tokkuri distinguished by the vivid interplay of hidasuki red and deep, iron rich clay tones, created by the ceramic artist Yoshimoto Tadashi. The vessel demonstrates the expressive potential of unglazed Bizen stoneware, its character shaped directly by clay, flame, and kiln atmosphere.

The rounded body rises to a narrow, elegantly proportioned neck, its surface animated by natural color transitions born from the hidasuki firing method. Warm vermilion flashes sweep across the upper half, while the lower section settles into darker, mineral laden hues. The interplay of smooth and lightly textured areas reveals the clay’s inherent qualities and the subtle effects of the kiln. The foot bears the artist’s impressed mark.

The work is accompanied by its original tomobako, protective cloth, and paper insert, all affirming its authenticity and intact provenance.

Dimensions

12.9cm(h) x 10cm(w)

Footnote

Yoshimoto Tadashi is born in 1943 in Bizen’s Shizutani district. He is trained under Living National Treasure Fujiwara Kei beginning in 1964. He established his kiln in 1975 and went on to earn repeated selections in major national ceramic exhibitions while receiving numerous awards throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His career includes international showings, public commissions, and sustained recognition within the Japan Traditional Crafts Association. In 2007 he was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder of Okayama Prefecture, underscoring his prominence in modern Bizen ceramics.