Pot with straw-rope patterns, oribe type 

Okabe Mineo　1919-1990

Okabe  Mineo  was  born  into a family trading in the pottery tool in Seto.  He  learnt  pottery  helping his family business. After the War, he  decided  to  become  a  professional  potter . He developed his repertoire  of  traditional  styles of Seto ware and ash glazed or iron glazed  pottery.  Jōmon  pots  in  Oribe  or  Shino  style inspired by Jōmon    pottery   of   ancient   Japan   applying   rope   pattern   to accentuate  the  clay  texture and his bottle vases with amber or ash glaze are among the boldest series of his work.  Later he mastered celadon  wares  by  studying  celadon wares of Song Dynasty China (960-1279) to bring them to perfection. His celadon stoneware such as  Funseiji  (blue crackled)  and  Suiseiji  (green crackled)  are  both endowed   with   a   velvety   textural beauty.   His   yellow c  rackled Beishokuseiji   was   considered   as  a   revival   of   Guan   ware   or Longquan   celadon   of   Song   Dynasty ,  by which Mineo’s unique celadon world reached to its highest sophistication.

w36.2×d37.8×h45.8 cm

1964

Private Collection

Fresh water jar, Koseto glaze

w18.8×h15.7 cm

1960s