Red autumn leaves seem to catch on the white breeze blowing across the thickly glazed surface of this ceramic box by Living National Treasure Suzuki Osamu enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shino Tobako. The softly squared form is covered in a thick milky-white Shino glaze that drifts across the warm iron-red body, leaving broad passages of clay visible beneath. Maple leaves emerge in rust-red silhouette across the lid and sides, appearing almost to be caught upon the white glaze as if autumn leaves carried on a passing breeze. Pinholes and small craters animate the surface, while the glaze thins and blushes around the rounded corners and sharply defined meeting of lid and box. It measures 19 x 14 x 12 cm (7-1/2 x 5-1/2 x 4-3/4 inches) and is in perfect condition.
Suzuki Osamu was born in Gifu prefecture in 1934, and graduated the Tajimi Technical School ceramics division in 1953. (not to be confused with avant garde potter Suzuki Osamu of Kyoto Sodeisha fame) That same year he was awarded at the 6th Dento Kogeiten Traditional Crafts Exhibition. One of the great researchers, he spent many years excavating old kiln sites in an effort to re-invent Shino ware. In 1962 he was exhibited in Prague. And the next year took a prize at the Asahi Ceramic Exhibition. Very much lauded at this time, it culminated in 1969 when he received the JCS Gold award (Japan Ceramic Society), one of the highest honors for a Japanese potter. He would receive the JCS award again in 1982, and by that point be nurturing or inspiring a number of young potters aspiring to the forgotten ways of Shino ware. He was named a Living National Treasure in 1994 for his life-work. Work by him is held in a multitude of public collections throughout the world. For more see “Japanese Studio Crafts, Tradition and the Avant-Garde” (1995) by R. Faulkner.
