Yamato Yasuo (大和保男), Japanese (b. 1933)

A Hagi Ware Guinomi (萩焼ぐい呑)

Heisei Era (1989-2019)

About the work

A charming Hagi ware guinomi by Yamato Yasuo, displaying the soft, natural beauty
and quiet elegance for which Hagi ceramics are celebrated. The vessel is formed in a
compact, slightly irregular shape with a gently undulating rim, embodying the
aesthetic principles of wabi-sabi through its asymmetry and hand-crafted character.

The surface is covered in a creamy white glaze richly textured with an intricate
network of crackles, a hallmark of fine Hagi ware. Subtle blushes of pink, warm beige,
and pale grey emerge through the glaze, while areas of exposed clay around the foot
reveal the iron-rich body beneath.

The guinomi is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box (tomobako)
and supporting documentation.

Dimensions

5.5cm(h) x 7.5cm(w)

Footnote

Yamato Yasuo (born 1933) is an important Japanese ceramic artist and
master of Hagi ware from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Introduced to pottery at a young age
while assisting at the family kiln during the wartime shortage of craftsmen, he later
trained formally under his father and developed a highly individual ceramic practice.
Renowned for his innovative “ensai” works distinguished by vivid flame-like coloration
and sculptural forms, Yamato has played a significant role in the evolution of
contemporary Hagi ware. In 1988 he was designated a Holder of Intangible Cultural
Property for Hagi ware by Yamaguchi Prefecture. His career includes numerous
exhibitions and awards, among them the Japan Kōgei Association Prize and the
Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2007. Internationally active, he
also presented the “400 Years of Hagi Ware” exhibition in Paris in 2000, helping
introduce modern Hagi ceramics to a wider global audience.