Wakao Toshisada (若尾利貞), Japanese, b.1933

A Shino Ware Incense Burner with Reed Motif (志野香炉 芦の絵)

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

About the work

This refined Shino ware incense burner by Wakao Toshisada exemplifies the artist’s
masterful interpretation of traditional Mino ceramic aesthetics. The cylindrical vessel
is decorated with expressive reed motifs rendered in iron underglaze beneath a softly
textured Shino glaze, creating a poetic seasonal atmosphere reminiscent of autumn
grasses swaying in mist.
The surface displays the characteristic qualities of Shino ware, with milky white
feldspathic glaze enriched by warm pink blushes, scattered pinholing, and areas of
subtle crawling produced during firing. The hand-painted reed design emerges fluidly
through the glaze, while the tactile irregularities of the body enhance the work’s quiet
rustic elegance. The carved wooden lid introduces a refined contrast in texture and
material, complementing the organic warmth of the ceramic form.
The incense burner is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box
(tomobako).

Dimensions

11.5cm(h) x 9.6cm(w) x 9.6cm(d)

Footnote

Wakao Toshisada (born 1933) is a leading ceramic artist from Tajimi, Gifu,
a historic center of Mino ware. Largely self-taught, he began studying ceramics in
1949 and gained recognition through exhibitions in the 1960s. He became a full
member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1970 and received numerous awards,
including the Mino New Artist Award and the Kato Kohei Prize. His works are held in
major institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Museum
of Modern Art, Tokyo. Designated an Intangible Cultural Property holder in both
Tajimi and Gifu, he is celebrated for his expressive reinterpretation of Momoyama
Shino.