Large Hagi Ceramic Basin "Ato" by Yamato Yasuo

Large ceramic basin by Yamato Yasuo, preserved in its inscribed tomobako, bearing the title Ato. The ample and powerfully open form presents an almost spherical silhouette, whose presence comes as much from its volume as from the exceptional work of its surface. The white glaze, characteristic of the Hagi-yaki universe, reveals a dense, vibrant material, deeply animated by hollows, striations, and irregularities.

The entire strength of this work lies in this ceramic skin. The wall appears marked, scarred, almost mineral, as if the form carried the memory of a gesture or a passage. The title Ato — 跡 — means trace, imprint, or vestige in Japanese. In the case of this piece, this title seems particularly apt, as it resonates so strongly with the surface treatment, which gives the vase the appearance of a material worked by time.

Born in 1933, Yamato Yasuo belongs to the lineage of the Shōryokugama kiln in Yamaguchi. Grandson of Yamato Sakutarō, founder of this branch in 1892, he is recognized as the holder of Yamaguchi Prefecture's Intangible Cultural Property for Hagi-yaki. His work is part of the great tradition of Hagi stoneware, while developing a personal language, attentive to the plastic force of form and the vibration of material.

Yamato Yasuo is notably known for having developed the technique known as enpaku, which combines the use of Oni-Hagi clay with an original application of salt glaze. This process produces very lively surfaces, where material effects, warm nuances, and colored vibrations appear, giving his works an almost mineral depth. In this large basin, this relationship between title, material, and surface memory is particularly convincing.

This work stands out for its scale, rare for this type of ceramic, and for the balance between monumentality and tactile sensibility. It will appeal equally to a collector of 20th-century Japanese ceramics and to a decorator looking for a material piece that is sober, powerful, and very present in an interior.

Dimensions: width approx. 46 × 46 cm; height approx. 30 cm.