245. NISHIHATA Tadashi 西端正, 1948- . 丹波窯変桶形花入 Tamba yōhen okegata hanaire (Tamba-ware bucket-shaped vase)
Nishihata was born in the old castle town of Sasayama in the mountains of Hyōgo in 1948. He began potting in 1969, focusing on items for use. In 1986 he first entered the realm of public exhibitions with his entry into the Nihon Dentō Kōgeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition. He has received numerous awards at this and other exhibitions. He now resides in the ancient ceramics center of Tamba.
Light gray clay, with some small white feldspar particles. Colors from kiln effects and ash deposits in the dark reddish brown to black range. Weight: 4.4 kg (9.8 lb). Height: 31 cm (12-1/4 in). Widths: top, 6.4 x 10.1 cm (2-1/2 x 4 in); widest, 21.5 cm (8-1/2 in); bottom, 17.5 x 19 cm (7 x 7-1/2 in).
The base and any given cross-section of this are squarish. The piece itself has four walls. The positioning of the handle across the diagonal of the square reorients the piece, however. Viewed from the front or back, or the sides, each side is formed of two planes, with a seam running down the middle.
This sits on a flat base; the sides of the base vary in length from 12.5 cm (5 in) to 14 cm (5-1/2 in). A flat scraping tool was used to make long, wide shallow indentations in the base. The artist’s sigil was incised into the base. The sides of the base rise outward at a 45-degree angle to a height of 1.3 cm (1/2 in). The four walls of the piece are long triangles, with the top lopped off. At the bottom each wall is about 15.3 cm (6 in) wide; at the lowest point of the opening, 25.4 cm (10 in) above the base, each is about 9.5 cm (3-3/4 in) wide; and at the top, the width is 7 cm (2-3/4 in). A long, vertical rib is positioned in the center of each wall, wider at the bottom and narrowing as it runs upward. The base of each rib is beveled upward at a 45-degree angle, continuing the movement of the sides of the base. These ribs continue as the sides of the chevrons at the top of the piece. The opening at the top is formed of evenly cut verticals and horizontals. It is a square, but again because of the positioning of the handle, it appears to be a diamond shape. The handle imitates the crosspiece at the top of a wooden bucket. It is 16/4 cm (6-1/2 in) wide. One end of the handle apparently became damaged after the firing, exposing the unaffected clay. The surface of this is rough, with some sharp edges at the seams joining the walls.
Unglazed, with kiln effect colors in the reddish brown to black range. The blacker areas are stronger on one side, revealing the orientation of the piece in the kiln. All surfaces of the piece show kiln effects, except for the one end of the handle that was chipped after the firing.
This came in wooden box, inscribed on the top by the artist, in two lines: 窯変桶形花入 /丹波正造 yōhen okegata hanaire / Tamba Tadashi zō (bucket-shaped vase with kiln effects / made by Tadashi of Tamba), followed by the artist’s seal stamped in red. Included in the box were a short printed biography and a dark blue wrapping cloth.
Purchased
from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto, Japan, in March 2024 (invoice, customs and shipping documents)
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