26107 Living National Treasure Inoue Manji White Porcelain Carved Vase

Height 26.9cm
Diameter 27.2cm

As a leading expert in potter's wheel molding, he studied the potter's wheel under Sakaida Kakiemon XII, and has led the way in Arita white porcelain with his outstanding skills and vast experience. In Japanese pottery, chance elements such as distortion and kiln changes are often incorporated and used to make the work appealing, but with white porcelain, perfection is required, with not even the slightest imperfection allowed, not only in form but also in the absence of pinholes or impurities.

About the techniques of white porcelain
White porcelain is made by applying a transparent glaze to white clay made from powdered rock, a raw material for ceramics. It is a typical type of pottery from the Song Dynasty in China, and in Japan, production began in the Arita region of Kyushu in the early Edo period. Inoue Manji has been designated a Living National Treasure (holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property) in the field of white porcelain. He uses high-quality natural pottery stone with few impurities and creates his pieces with great care, shaping them on the potter's wheel. This piece is a unique expression of Manji, combining the beauty of white porcelain with sculptural techniques.