Tamekichi Mitsui III (real name: Eiichi Mitsui, born 1935) is the third-generation head of the Tamekichi kiln, a prestigious Kutani ware pottery based in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture, and is one of the artists who symbolize modern Kutani ware. After graduating from Kanazawa College of Art in 1959, he studied under Professor Tojiro Kitade and Isokichi Asakura, a Person of Cultural Merit, and inherited the title Tamekichi III in 1961. His most distinctive feature is that, despite having a hearing disability, he transformed it into a refined sense of color and meticulous brushwork. His artistry is lauded as "the dynamism of color residing in silence," and starting with a presentation to U.S. Ambassador Edwin O. Reischauer in 1962, he was commissioned by successive Prime Ministers (Ohira, Suzuki, and Nakasone) to create gifts for state guests during visits to China, establishing an unshakeable position as a leading figure in "craft diplomacy" representing Japan.
This work is an Iroe Bajohai (polychrome horseback cup) that encapsulates the transparency of "Kutani Gosai" (Kutani five colors), which is Tamekichi III's forte, and his most favored traditional "Kacho-zu" (flower-and-bird painting). Bajohai were noble vessels once made for samurai to drink sake on horseback, and their high stems possess a functionality similar to modern wine glasses and tasting glasses. What makes this piece particularly rare is the density of the painting applied to its limited curved surface. On the outside, flowers and birds depicting the changing seasons are painted, and on the inside, geometric patterns that create a kaleidoscope-like reflection when amber liquid is poured are depicted with the unique thickness (mori) of hand-painting. This visual depth transcends verbal communication and is the crystallization of pure artistic expression that he created through his dialogue with earth, fire, and color.
His works are housed and acclaimed by major public institutions both domestically and internationally. In Japan, they are held in specialized institutions such as the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art and the Nomi City Kutani Ware Museum, and he has numerous achievements in presenting works to members of the Imperial Family (Prince Mikasa's house, Prince Hitachi's house). Particularly noteworthy is his overwhelming international acclaim; in 2002, he held a solo exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution (Arthur M. Sackler Gallery) in the United States, achieving the remarkable feat of having his works permanently acquired. Furthermore, he served as a visiting professor at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C., the world's only comprehensive university for the deaf, demonstrating that his activities extend beyond the realm of art and hold international significance as a bridge between cultures. Our store proposes this masterpiece as the ultimate vessel for simultaneously enjoying the delicate aromas of vintage whiskey and the visual beauty offered by the pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship.
- Artist: Tamekichi Mitsui III (Mitsui Tamekichi, 1935–)
- Major career highlights of the artist: 1961 Succeeded as Tamekichi III. 1987 Received Prime Minister's Award. 1994 Solo exhibition at Switzer Gallery, New York. 1997 Appointed Visiting Professor at Gallaudet University. 2002 Solo exhibition at Smithsonian Institution, works permanently acquired. 2005 Received Edward Gallaudet Award.
- Works housed in: Smithsonian Institution (Washington D.C., USA), Gallaudet University (USA), Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art, Nomi City Kutani Ware Museum, and many others.
- Period of Creation: 1990s to 2000s (around the time of the Smithsonian Institution solo exhibition, a mature period when both technique and acclaim reached their peak)
- Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Original wooden box (with artist's handwritten signature and seal), wrapping cloth
- Material: Ceramic (Kutani ware, Iro-e)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 5.5 cm, Rim diameter approx. 5.5 cm
- Note: Even if the products provided by our store are new and unused, they are from a very old production period, and all are listed as pre-owned. Products may have age-related damage, so please consider your purchase with understanding and confirmation.
