Born into the most respected family of Hagi ware potters, Miwa Eizo was the second son of Living National Treasure Miwa Kyūsetsu XI. And even though his older brother was in line to inherit the title of Kyūsetsu XII, Eizo nonetheless blazed his own trail, producing bold and minimal Hagi wares. When he died suddenly at the age of 52, Eizo’s promising career was cut short, but not before gaining international recognition.

This tsubo’s lobed body recalls classic melon shaped vases from the Song and Goryeo dynasties, but translated through the earthy and rustic Hagi aesthetic. Hagi’s roots date back centuries to the Imjin war when captured Korean potters were brought to Yamaguchi prefecture, along with Buncheong clays, glazes, and techniques.

The Miwa family is credited with developing shiro, or white, Hagi: a distinctive glaze made from feldspar, rice straw, and wood ash. This lobed tsubo features a shiro glaze which crawls to reveal the warm and groggy clay body beneath. Fired in a noborigama climbing kiln, the wood fuel helps give subtle variations to the surface. Perhaps my favourite “face” on this tsubo, one of the lobes blushes a wonderful warm pink, a quintessentially Hagi effect. 

Comes with the signed, stamped, and titled wood box, stamped wrapping cloth, and CV.