Yasuhide Uchida (1893-1997), a holder of Hiroshima Prefecture's Important Intangible Cultural Property and referred to as a solitary legend in the history of Showa pottery. After exhibiting at the 1970 Osaka Expo and training at the prestigious Manufacture nationale de Sèvres in France, he reached a unique realm by fusing Japanese and French aesthetics. We present his supreme masterpiece, a ceramic confectionary dish (tall-footed dish) crafted on July 14, 1984, during his mature later years, utilizing the lost and legendary technique of Hyori-Kantsu-Nishiki-Neriage-de (double-sided penetrating brocade marbled clay).
This piece, created in 1984, is a special item that was carefully preserved by the Uchida family as an unmarketable work for the artist's own collection, representing the pinnacle of his mature techniques during his prime. Later, at the funeral of Mr. Uchida, who lived an astonishingly long life of over a hundred years and attained his Buddhist transition (Sen-ge), it was presented as a token of appreciation to a select few close relatives who attended. The full extent of its valuable history can be meticulously confirmed by deciphering the accompanying memorial thank-you letter from the bereaved family dated March 20, 1997, from Mr. Hitoshi Sayo, Mr. Uchida's third son. This letter provides invaluable historical evidence proving that this work is an authentic and paramount heirloom of the Uchida family. We propose this elegant, tall-footed dish, approximately 19 cm in diameter, to the world as the ultimate premium plate for beautifully serving exquisite delicacies when enjoying aged amber sake or premium Japanese whisky.
The Hyori-Kantsu-Nishiki-Neriage-de technique represents the pinnacle of Yasuhide Uchida's artistic value. The beautiful patterns on the vessel might appear to be hand-painted at first glance, but they are not superficial colors applied with pigments. This is a masterful technique where various types of clay, colored by blending different metal oxides, are intricately assembled like a puzzle with meticulous calculation, creating the pattern itself as the organizational structure of the clay. Furthermore, as indicated by its most significant characteristic, "Hyori-Kantsu" (penetrating front and back), these patterns perfectly penetrate and appear as beautiful, distinct compositions on both the front and back surfaces of the dish, set against a cobalt blue background, without any deviation. This is irrefutable evidence that the layers of clay are perfectly superimposed even in the interior, and within this ultimate structural beauty is completely encased Mr. Uchida's lifelong ardent wish for pure peace without front or back, a desire born from his experience as a native of Hiroshima, a city affected by atomic bombing.
Observing the design of the dish closely, a beautiful floral pattern of white camellias, quietly blooming from winter to early spring, around March when Mr. Uchida's funeral was held, vibrantly emerges against a striking cobalt blue background. The dignified appearance of white camellias blooming in the crisp air, signaling the end of harsh winter, beautifully overlaps with the lyrical scenery of the season when Mr. Uchida passed away and was seen off by his family and close acquaintances, bringing spiritual depth and endless romance to the work.
The surface of the dish is intentionally not formed into an even flatness; instead, it features rich, varied undulations characteristic of handcrafted work. As can be seen in the accompanying photographs, the surface exhibits diffuse white reflection depending on the angle of light. We have photographed and presented the piece in its unaltered state to convey the overwhelming depth of design, unique warmth, and the inherent charm as pottery that arise precisely because of this uneven thickness. Furthermore, it is particularly noteworthy that the back of the dish clearly bears Mr. Uchida's signature (engraving), deeply carved by the artist's own hand. This powerful hand-carved signature is not only irrefutable proof that this piece was created directly by Yasuhide Uchida himself, but it also exudes an overwhelming presence as an important part of the design that strengthens the overall sculptural unity and functional beauty of the vessel.
Due to the nature of the Hyori-Kantsu-Nishiki-Neriage-de technique, where different colored clays with varying properties and shrinkage rates are joined and fired, it is extremely difficult to achieve a perfect firing, as small cracks or openings are prone to occur at the clay boundaries. In this particular piece, one small opening where the clay boundary is slightly separated is observed in the central part of the brown leaf pattern on the surface, but this does not completely penetrate to the back as a hole. Additionally, two small bubbles formed during the pottery creation process can be seen in the glaze on the surface. Both of these are undeniable evidence of the handcrafted process produced by Yasuhide Uchida during his peak concentration, and they in no way detract from the perfection or dignity of the work. Please enjoy this supreme masterpiece, where the essence of color technology cultivated in Sèvres, France, the quintessence of Japanese spiritual culture, and a letter narrating the history of the family are united, in a prime spot during your special everyday dining occasions.
[Content of the letter of condolences from the bereaved family below]
Gassho As the spring sunshine begins to shine brightly, I sincerely hope that your esteemed family is in excellent health. Thank you very much for traveling a long distance in the cold to attend the funeral of my late father, Yasuhide Uchida, and for your kind and heartfelt condolences. I deeply appreciate the profound grief and fond memories expressed by all those who had a particularly close relationship with my father during his continental period, his Misumi period, and finally in this place, and who provided such a warm funeral. I am sure he would have been deeply moved to tears. Recently, the forty-ninth-day memorial service was concluded at Gokoku-ji Temple in Shimabara, his hometown, and Honju-in Nisshu Shonin (the late Yasuhide Uchida's Buddhist title) returned to the Okutsuki (sacred tomb) overlooking the Ariake Sea. Although it was a tumultuous life of over a hundred years, I believe he earnestly lived the spirit of the founder in each moment. In his later years, he was content with his pottery life, living in accordance with Jinen-Honi (natural spontaneity/as-it-isness) in his small mountain hermitage. I am truly grateful from the bottom of my heart to everyone for their long-standing kindness and patronage. On the occasion of the forty-ninth day after his passing, I humbly send this token of my appreciation (and kindly ask for your compassionate acceptance). Thank you very much for such a long time. March 20, 1997 Respectfully yours, Hitoshi Sayo (Third son of the deceased)
- Artist: Yasuhide Uchida (1893-1997)
- Artist's notable career highlights: [1952] Held the "Yasuhide Uchida Nishiki-Neriage Pottery Exhibition" at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store, [1960s] Acquired color and porcelain techniques at Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, France, [1965] Designated as a Miyoshi City Intangible Cultural Property, [1970] Exhibited works at Osaka Expo (EXPO'70), [1973] Recognized as a holder of Hiroshima Prefecture's Important Intangible Cultural Property.
- Date of Creation: July 14, 1984 (Showa 59)
- Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks, some surface cracking characteristic of the work)
- Accessories: Custom wooden box, wrapping cloth (signed and sealed), letter of condolences from the bereaved family
- Material: Nishiki-Neriage-de (pottery, Hyori-Kantsu technique)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 4.0 cm, diameter approx. 19.0 cm (approximate)
- Note: Even if the products offered by our store are new and unused, they are from a very old production period and are all listed as used items. Products may have age-related damage, so please consider purchasing after understanding and confirming this.
