Ito Motohiko basin
Price on request
A large conical stoneware basin with a mountain range design. The entire surface in-and outside finished with his special nunome technique, creating a nice slightly texture cloth pattern. Horizontal streaks of transcending glazed colours: brown, white to black, with the rim finished in gold paint creating a golden sky above a mountain peak.
Height 15 cm, Diameter 37.5 cm.
In very good condition. Underside with makers seal, complete with original signed and sealed tomobako.
Ito Motohiko 伊藤東彦 (b. 1939) is a Japanese ceramic artist associated with Kasama ware 笠間焼. Born in Ōmuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, he studied ceramics at Tokyo University of the Arts, receiving his MFA in 1966 under the important ceramic masters Katō Hajime 加藤土師萌 and Fujimoto Nōdō 藤本能道. After further training with Matsui Kōsei 松井康成 and at the Ibaraki Pottery Research Center, he established his own kiln in Kasama in 1970.
Ito is particularly known for his use of the nunome technique (布目), in which cloth is impressed into the clay surface to create a textured ground. On this patterned surface he often applies designs of plants such as camellia, pine, lotus, and pampas grass. His work has been widely exhibited and awarded, including prizes at the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. In 1999 he received the Medal with Purple Ribbon (紫綬褒章) in recognition of his achievements in ceramic art.
