Ryoji Koie (鯉江良二), Japanese, 1938–2020

A Hanaire (花入) 

Showa Era (1926–1989) or Heisei Era (1989-2019)

About the work

This flower vase by Ryoji Koie exemplifies the artist’s lifelong engagement with clay as a living, expressive material. Compact yet powerfully grounded, the form rises with a steady vertical presence, its subtly flared shoulder and restrained mouth lending quiet tension and balance. The proportions are deliberate, conveying both stability and an understated elegance suited to the tea aesthetic.

The surface is richly layered with Koie’s characteristic firing effects. Ash and natural glaze flow across the body in bands of earthy browns, greys, and milky whites, bearing traces of flame and ash from the kiln. Variations in texture and tone reveal the dynamic interaction between clay, fire, and chance, a hallmark of Koie’s work. The piece reads equally as a sculptural object and as a functional vessel for a single flower or branch.

The vase is accompanied by its original wooden storage box and cloth, confirming authenticity.

Dimensions

13.3cm(h) x 12.5cm(w)

Footnote

Ryoji Koie (1938–2020) was born in Aichi Prefecture and trained in ceramics at Tokoname High School and the Tokoname Municipal Ceramic Research Institute. A central figure in postwar Japanese ceramics, he co-founded the Tokoname Formative Group and built his own anagama kiln in 1975. Koie was a member of the International Academy of Ceramics and taught for many years at Aichi University of the Arts. Actively exhibited internationally, including at the Denver Art Museum and the Centre Pompidou, he received numerous honors such as the Vallauris International Grand Prize, the Oribe Prize, and the Japan Ceramic Society Gold Award.