Large Japanese flower vase made by the ceramicist Dohi Man — 土肥満, 1933-2010 — also referenced under the romanization Dohi Mitsuru.

The ample, vertical form combines a cylindrical body with a strongly flared base, giving the whole a stable and monumental presence. The outer surface is covered with a caramel brown glaze mottled with black. The variable density of the mottling creates deep nuances in the brown, from almost black areas to warmer passages. The wide curves that run across the piece correspond to areas where the black mottling is less concentrated. They form a continuous abstract decoration, directly linked to the volume of the vase, whose composition changes depending on the viewing angle.

The interior is coated with a light yellow-green glaze animated by a fine network of firing cracks. The contrast between this bright interior and the dark outer surface accentuates the depth of the form.

The original box bears the inscription 緋文の花生, Himon no hanaike, which can be translated as "flower vase with scarlet decoration". It is signed 満作, "made by Man", and bears the artist's seal. The base of the vase is also marked with an impressed seal.

Born in Yokohama in 1933, Dohi Man graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts in 1959. He trained with his father, the ceramicist Dohi Tōsen, before establishing his workshop in Chiba Prefecture. He then taught ceramics at Chiba University. His work was exhibited at Nitten and Nihon Shinkōgei, where he received several awards during the 1980s and 1990s. His works are held in several public Japanese collections, including the Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art and the Mobara City Museum.

Japan, Showa period, probably 1980s.

Thrown and glazed ceramic.
Impressed mark under the base.
Original box signed and sealed.
Perfect condition.

Height: 33.5 cm. Diameter: 23 cm.