26191 ITAYA Hazan, Imperial Household Artist and Ceramic Master, Ice-Flower Porcelain Incense Burner (Certificate of Authenticity from the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum)

Height: 8.7 cm
Diameter: 10.6 cm

Created by Itaya Hazan (1872–1963), Japan’s greatest ceramic artist, who is celebrated as a peerless master of modern times. After graduating from the Sculpture Department of the Tokyo Fine Arts School (where he studied alongside Okakura Tenshin and Takamura Koun), he gained recognition by winning third prize at the 1907 Tokyo Industrial Exhibition for his "Porcelain Vase with Crystalline Glaze and Gold/Purple Design," eventually being appointed as an Imperial Household Artist. He was the first ceramic artist in history to be awarded the Order of Culture, and in 1955, he declined the designation of Living National Treasure, as he viewed pottery as an art form rather than a craft. As a ceramic artist who mastered the foundations of fine art, he was a pioneer who established modern art pottery, distinct from traditional ceramic styles. He left behind representative works such as the "Hokosaiji Vase with Rare Fruit Design" (Important Cultural Property, collection of Sen-oku Hakuko Kan), the "Polychrome Vase with Longevity Design" (Idemitsu Museum of Arts), and the "Polychrome Vase with Bird and Fruit Design" (Atsui Art Museum), exerting an immeasurable influence on modern ceramic history. This is a top-tier masterpiece by Itaya Hazan.

"Hyokaji" (Ice-flower porcelain) is a style featuring a transparent glaze applied over a white clay body. Inspired by his studies of ancient Chinese ceramics, this style mimics the Yingqing (shadow blue) ware of the Southern Song Dynasty. The delicate, low-relief carving—a testament to the exquisite sculptural skills he honed under the tutelage of Imperial Household Artist and sculptor Takamura Koun at the Tokyo Fine Arts School—stands out beautifully. Combined with the refined, perfectly proportioned form created by the hands of the solitary master potter Genda Ichimatsu, who quietly supported Hazan’s work, this piece exudes supreme elegance and crystalline clarity.

Among the incense burners he continued to create until his later years, this piece is exceptionally magnificent and radiates a sense of sublime artistry. With its tense, compelling box inscription, it is a masterpiece rich in detail. Its striking presence and substantial scale make it a "masterpiece of masterpieces," often found in museum collections and featured in exhibition catalogs.