Bizen Square Flower Vase

This is a Bizen square vase by Kei Fujiwara, an artist beloved by all for a warm style that radiated his bold, open-hearted nature. If one were to describe this piece in words, "refined, gentle, and soft" would be the perfect fit. The texture of the clay, which imparts a sense of all-encompassing breadth, combined with a simple form that suggests it was crafted freely from the heart without any pretension to technique, seems to embody the personality of Fujiwara, a man who once aspired to be a man of letters. Despite being a hard-fired ceramic, this piece evokes a certain cotton-like softness; it would surely look beautiful holding some modest wildflowers.

Signed wooden box (double-slat lid)
Inner diameter 4.8cm × Body diameter 6.8cm × Body diameter 6.8cm × Height 22.8cm

Kei Fujiwara (1899–1983, born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) entered the world of Bizen pottery at the suggestion of Atsuo Masamune, a scholar of Japanese literature living in Honami, Bizen. He received introductory training in wheel-throwing from Baikai Mimura, and from 1941, he honed his skills by learning firing methods from fellow Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. Emulating the simplicity and boldness found in the utilitarian wares of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, he produced jars and vases with a generous and clear-cut style. The artistic education he absorbed in his youth influenced his works. In 1954, he became the second person to be designated a Living National Treasure for Bizen pottery, and in 1958, he became a director of the Japan Kōgei Association. In 1977, he established the Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum in Bizen City, Okayama.
Major awards: Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Prize, Chugoku Cultural Award; honored as an Honorary Citizen of Bizen City and an Honorary Resident of Okayama Prefecture; posthumously awarded the Junior Fifth Rank and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class.
This is a Bizen square vase by Kei Fujiwara, an artist beloved by all for a warm style that radiated his bold, open-hearted nature. If one were to describe this piece in words, "refined, gentle, and soft" would be the perfect fit. The texture of the clay, which imparts a sense of all-encompassing breadth, combined with a simple form that suggests it was crafted freely from the heart without any pretension to technique, seems to embody the personality of Fujiwara, a man who once aspired to be a man of letters. Despite being a hard-fired ceramic, this piece evokes a certain cotton-like softness; it would surely look beautiful holding some modest wildflowers. Signed wooden box (double-slat lid)
Inner diameter 4.8cm × Body diameter 6.8cm × Body diameter 6.8cm × Height 22.8cm Kei Fujiwara (1899–1983, born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) entered the world of Bizen pottery at the suggestion of Atsuo Masamune, a scholar of Japanese literature living in Honami, Bizen. He received introductory training in wheel-throwing from Baikai Mimura, and from 1941, he honed his skills by learning firing methods from fellow Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. Emulating the simplicity and boldness found in the utilitarian wares of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, he produced jars and vases with a generous and clear-cut style. The artistic education he absorbed in his youth influenced his works. In 1954, he became the second person to be designated a Living National Treasure for Bizen pottery, and in 1958, he became a director of the Japan Kōgei Association. In 1977, he established the Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum in Bizen City, Okayama.
Major awards: Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Prize, Chugoku Cultural Award; honored as an Honorary Citizen of Bizen City and an Honorary Resident of Okayama Prefecture; posthumously awarded the Junior Fifth Rank and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class.