Jar with Four Lugs
ca. 2000
Shimaoka Tatsuzo
Japanese, 1919-2007
Asian Art
Shimaoka Tatsuzō belonged to a group of twentieth-century Japanese ceramicists who described themselves as practitioners of mingei, or folk art. Inspired by the historical wares that were made for everyday use by anonymous potters, modern mingei artists strove to create objects that were beautiful despite being handmade from humble materials.
This jar illustrates Shimaoka’s signature technique: pressing rough cords against the wet clay surface to create a striated texture. We can see that the pot was laid on its side when fired; four marks show where it was supported on blocks in the kiln, and light-green ash glaze landed on the opposite side. When the jar stands upright, the ash glaze seems to defy gravity by dripping sideways.
This jar illustrates Shimaoka’s signature technique: pressing rough cords against the wet clay surface to create a striated texture. We can see that the pot was laid on its side when fired; four marks show where it was supported on blocks in the kiln, and light-green ash glaze landed on the opposite side. When the jar stands upright, the ash glaze seems to defy gravity by dripping sideways.
- Maker/Artist
- Shimaoka, Tatsuzo
- Classification
- Vessel
- Formatted Medium
- Glazed stoneware
- Locations
- Place made: Japan
- Period
- Heisei Period
- Dimensions
- 7 7/8 × 6 1/2 × 7 in. (20 × 16.5 × 17.8 cm)
- Departments
- Asian Art
- Accession Number
- 2013.83.66
- Credit Line
- Gift of Shelly and Lester Richter
- Exhibitions
- Arts of Japan
- Rights Statement
- Creative Commons-BY
- Museum Location
- Asian Galleries, Arts of Japan, 2nd floor
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