takahashi Rakusai IV (*1925)

Tall Shigaraki tea caddy (chaire) with sprinkled greenish-brown and black ash glaze partly with encrustations at the back side. Despite the large impression of the vessel's body, the chaire is elegantly shaped with slight distortions and cut lines below the distinct shoulders and above the conical foot. The whole body is covered by smaller pieces of quartz sand, which were flowering during the firing (ishihaze). Especially on the darker part of the vessel, which stood directly towards the fire in the kiln, a few quite big pieces of flowering quartz stones are creating a lively contrast with the natural ash glaze. The work is signed 'ra' (ら) at the bottom and comes with a two silk pouches (shifuku) and a fitted, signed and sealed wooden box.

Takahashi Rakusai IV was born 1925 in Shigaraki and is probably the most famous Shigaraki potter. The Takahashi family is along with the Ueda family the oldest potter family in Shigaraki and largely responsible for preserving traditions, especially after the second world war. Takahashi Rakusai IV succeeded his father the third Takahashi – who was designated as "Intangible Cultural Property" by government – in 1976 and passed the tradition subsequently to his son in 2010.

INQUIRE