Sugimoto Sadamitsu 杉本貞光 (*1935)

Born in Tōkyō in 1935, Sugimoto is a self-taught, highly admired master of Iga and Shigaraki pottery. He built his own anagama kiln in Shigaraki in 1968. Along with his research and study of old Shigaraki and Iga ware, he became interested in Zen Buddhism and has been a disciple of Tachibana Daiki (1899-2005, 511th head monk of Daitoku-ji and president of Hanazono University) since 1974.

Over the years, his rigorous training in Zen has infused his pottery works with the power of a liberal and unsophisticated spirit, making him one of the best Iga potters of our time. Focusing mainly on traditional tea ware, Sugimoto's works were shown, for example, at an exhibition commemorating the 400th anniversary of the tea master Sen no Rikyū in 1989. It is noteworthy that in the same year some of his works were selected for a movir about Sen no Rikyū by Teshigahara Hiroshi, which brought him additional recognition as one of the best potters of our time. His work is widely represented in international public and private museum collections around the world, including the Tokyo National Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Pavilion for Japanese Art.

The water jar, presented here, is the epitome of his artistic vision. This piece features an incredibly rich and vivid ash glazing with two distinct features that highlight its uniqueness: First, underneath the rim of the lid, there is a large green ash glaze drop (bidoro), resembling condensed water gathering at a specific point beneath the lid—an evocative and poetic manifestation of the jar's function. Second, inside the wall of the jar, there is a significant crack through which ash glaze has been pressed from the outside to the inside during the mighty forces of the firing process. The ash glaze sealed the crack, ensuring no water leaks, and it remains visible only to the tea master when opening the jar during the ceremony.

These hidden features, like a secret only revealed to those who engage closely with the piece, add a layer of intimate discovery to the experience of using the mizusashi. Furthermore, Sugimoto's abbreviated signature is typically placed not on the exterior or the base of his objects but often inside on the walls, as is the case with this water jar, adding another layer of personal interaction required to fully appreciate the artistry.

The jar is signed by the artist on the inside wall and comes with the original inscribed, signed and sealed wooden box. 

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