Masafumi Yamaguchi (山口正文), Japanese (1941-2018)

A Guinomi Cup

Showa Era (1926-1989)  

About the work

This guinomi by Masafumi Yamaguchi of Nishiyama Kiln (西山窯) features a compact form with a slightly irregular oval profile and thickened rim, giving the cup a solid and tactile presence. The exterior is covered in a deep black glaze interrupted by decorative panels of slip inlay that reveal geometric patterns in cream and iron-brown tones.

One panel displays bold zigzag bands while another shows a lattice pattern with dotted accents. Inside the cup, a pale medallion with a grid and dot motif appears at the center, creating a subtle visual contrast against the dark glaze. The base is partially unglazed and bears the potter’s impressed mark, exposing the natural texture of the clay.

The piece is accompanied by its original signed wooden box (tomobako) and printed documentation.

Dimensions

4.2cm(h) x 7.2cm(w) x 7cm(d)

Footnote

Masafumi Yamaguchi (1941 - 2018) was a Japanese ceramic artist from Seto and the fifth-generation head of Nishiyama Kiln in Nishikamamachi, Seto City. He received the Mayor’s Award for Japanese painting at the Seto City Exhibition and later exhibited widely as a ceramic artist. His works were accepted into major exhibitions including the Seto City Exhibition, the Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Exhibition, the Asahi Ceramic Exhibition, and the Kōfūkai Exhibition. The Nishiyama Kiln lineage continues today under the sixth-generation successor, Makoto Yamaguchi.