This is a highly dignified pair of sake cups by Mr. Tojiro Kitade (1898-1968), a pioneering ceramic artist who significantly reshaped the history of Kutani ware from modern to contemporary times, and a magnificent leader who supported the development of art education in Japan. Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1898 and passing away in 1968, Mr. Tojiro Kitade was a supreme master representing the contemporary Kutani ceramic world of the Showa era. After dropping out of Kansai University's Faculty of Law in 1916, he studied under the master Kyoson Yano at the Osaka School of Fine Arts, where he learned the essence of Japanese painting and honed his unique, exceptional artistic sensibilities.
The most decisive turning point in his ceramic career came in the autumn of 1936. He invited Mr. Kenkichi Tomimoto (1886-1963), a master of modern ceramics who later became a Living National Treasure for overglaze enamel porcelain, to his personal Kitade Kiln, and together they devoted themselves to thorough ceramic research, living and working side-by-side. Mr. Tomimoto deeply resonated with Tojiro's uncompromising artistic spirit and named his kiln "Seisen-gama." Mr. Tomimoto's strict modernist philosophy, which rejected easy imitation of classical patterns and sought to create new modern designs from nature—to "never create patterns from existing patterns"—became a powerful identity for Seisen-gama thereafter. Following this historic event, the works he left behind were proudly inscribed on their accompanying boxes and catalogs as "Seisen-gama works," testifying to a noble artistry directly inherited from Tomimoto and advanced techniques, circulating in the art world with special authority, even more than his personal name.
This pair of sake cups is a masterpiece that clearly exhibits Tojiro Kitade's most highly regarded sophisticated fusion of overglaze enamel, colored slip (saidei), and gold leaf, along with his unique exotic abstract geometric designs. On the front of the vessel, a powerful butterfly motif is depicted in noble gold leaf layered over deep black. On the sides, vivid geometric patterns, skillfully arranged with gold, red, and green, are intricately woven with extreme precision. The method of completely departing from traditional Kutani ware decorations like landscapes and birds-and-flowers, and instead developing modern and exotic abstract geometric patterns inspired by classical designs from Persia and Central Asia, is Tojiro's true forte. Furthermore, he did not treat the smooth surface of the porcelain merely as a canvas, but perfectly harmonized the thickness of the paints, the unique texture of the colored slip, and the elegant shimmer of the gold leaf within a single vessel. Determining the optimal firing temperatures for each paint and slip, and undergoing multiple firing processes—bisque firing, main firing, and numerous overglaze firings—this small sake cup encapsulates a meticulously calculated, ultra-high-difficulty technique that could never be achieved with mediocre ceramic skills.
He devoted a tremendous amount of time to his duties as an educator and in public service, becoming a professor in the Ceramics Department at the Kanazawa Specialized School of Arts and Crafts (present-day Kanazawa College of Art) upon its establishment in 1946, and later serving in important positions in the art world such as a councillor for the Nitten exhibition. As a result, his lifetime production of pure creative works is very limited. Furthermore, since many of his major and representative works are housed in public museums such as the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art, genuine masterpieces circulating in the private market are extremely rare, possessing an overwhelming scarcity value that serves as historical documentation.
We propose these vessels, imbued with undeniable art-historical authority and superlative skill, as supreme sake vessels (shot glasses) of Japanese Kōgei, allowing you to enjoy the traditional beauty of Japan in the palm of your hand, tailored to a sophisticated modern lifestyle. They are especially suitable for savoring aged sake and vintage sake that have developed deep richness and mellow aromas over many years. The dignified presence of the black and gold butterfly on the front, and the vibrant geometric patterns on the sides, resonate beautifully with the exquisite amber color of aged sake poured into them, elevating your daily evening drink to a luxurious experience of appreciating a pinnacle of three-dimensional art.
The advanced modernism and technical genes of Seisen-gama, built by Tojiro Kitade, were perfectly transmitted to the renowned masters he nurtured. His lineage continues with successive generations of geniuses: his second son, Fujio Kitade (1921-2014), who faithfully inherited his father's color sense and modernism and served as a professor and president of Kanazawa College of Art; his third son, Seiko Kitade (real name: Isamu Kitade, 1928-2011), who inherited unique traditional techniques and was active primarily in the Nitten exhibition; and Toshiaki Takegoshi (1940-2021), a great master of contemporary Kutani ware, who, strongly encouraged by Professor Tojiro, switched from industrial design to ceramics and later won the Japan Art Academy Prize and became a member of the Japan Art Academy. This supreme sake vessel, a crystallization of a historical miracle that evolved tradition into art, is a preeminent modern piece that brings undeniable elegance and a unique presence to the daily dining table.
- Artist: Tojiro Kitade (1898-1968)
- Artist's Notable Career History: [1928] First accepted into the 9th Teiten Exhibition, [1946] Appointed Professor of Ceramics Department at Kanazawa Specialized School of Arts and Crafts (present-day Kanazawa College of Art), [1959] Appointed Council Member (Councillor) of the Nitten Exhibition
- Works Housed At: The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art; Kanazawa College of Art, Art & Craft Research Institute; etc.
- Production Period: 1950s to mid-1960s (Mature period after receiving the Hokkoku Culture Award)
- Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Dedicated Tomobako (original wooden box signed and sealed by the artist), wrapping cloth, Shiori profile brochure included
- Material: Porcelain (colored slip, gold leaf)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 4.3 cm, Diameter approx. 5.0 cm
- Note: Please note that all products offered by our store, even if brand new and unused, originate from a historic production period and are strictly listed as antique/used fine art items. Vintage products may exhibit subtle age-related characteristics; please consider purchasing upon full understanding and confirmation.
