Ball vase by Kanzan Shinkai, Japan, circa 1940

This vase is a fine example of Kanzan Shinkai's work. It features a complex design with raised circular motifs using contrasting colors like blue and green, typical of Shinkai's style. The interlocking circles create a dynamic and unique visual effect. The surface of the vase is partially textured, adding an extra dimension to its appearance.

Kanzan Shinkai was born in 1912, descended from a prestigious line of Kyoto artists. His grandfather, Seifu Yohei III, was a renowned potter, and Shinkai was immersed in the world of ceramics from his childhood in the heart of Kyoto's Gojo-zaka ceramic district. He was trained by his father and grandfather before continuing his studies at the Kyoto Municipal School of Arts and Crafts.

At his father's insistence, Shinkai also studied painting, but eventually returned to ceramics under the tutelage of masters Kiyomizu Rokubei V and VI, the latter a Living National Treasure. In 1930, he was first accepted into the Teiten (later renamed Nitten) National Exhibition, and continued to exhibit there regularly, winning various awards, including at the 1939 San Francisco Exposition.

His budding career was interrupted by World War II, when he was drafted and sent to China. After the war, he spent three years in a Russian gulag in Siberia. Upon returning to Japan in 1948, Shinkai resumed his work as a ceramicist, developing a distinctive style that was rooted in tradition yet innovative.

In 1951, Shinkai won the Gold Prize at the Japanese Art Exhibition, and in 1974, he received the Governor's Prize at the Nitten. In 1980, he was awarded the Japan Art Academy Prize. Among his most prestigious honors are the Blue Ribbon Medal in 1951 and the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, awarded by the Japanese government in 1984.

Kanzan Shinkai is considered one of the greatest Japanese ceramicists of the 20th century, and his works are housed in prestigious institutions such as the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto.

Signature and original signed box.