– Masami Kobayashi: internationally acclaimed Kasama potter with extensive European exhibition history – Elegant tapered form with blue-green base glaze and cream slip decoration depicting naturalistic branch – Height 18 cm × diameter 7 cm, ideal scale for ikebana or as sculptural accent Some ceramics ask to be filled immediately. Others feel complete as they are, the form and surface decoration creating a composition that needs nothing added. This vase by Masami Kobayashi occupies that second territory—entirely self-sufficient, yet welcoming should you choose to place a single branch within it. Kobayashi works within the rich tradition of Japanese studio pottery, where the line between functional vessel and sculptural object remains deliberately blurred. Born in Hokkaido in 1952, he trained under Koji Nakano in the Kasama pottery region and has since built a remarkable international career spanning four decades. His aesthetic sensibility draws from the natural world—not through literal representation, but through suggestion and rhythm. This vase demonstrates that approach with clarity: a slender, tapering form that rises from a wider base to a gently flared rim, proportions that feel both stable and dynamic. What distinguishes Kobayashi in the landscape of contemporary Japanese ceramics is the extraordinary recognition his work has received across Europe. Since the mid-1990s, his pieces have been exhibited extensively throughout the continent—from Hamburg and Hanover in Germany, to Barcelona's Casa Batlló, Helsinki galleries in Finland, and most notably, Paris. Between 2004 and 2008, his work appeared regularly at the prestigious Salon des Beaux-Arts at the Carrousel du Louvre. In 2006, he exhibited at the Musée National de Céramique de Sèvres, the French national ceramics museum and one of Europe's most important institutions dedicated to the medium. His work has entered permanent collections at museums in Germany and, significantly, at the Musée Cernuschi in Paris—the French capital's museum devoted to Asian arts—which acquired pieces in 2013. The glaze work on this vase reveals considerable technical control. The base layer appears to be a blue-green, possibly achieved through copper oxide in a reduction atmosphere—a notoriously temperamental combination that can produce everything from deep turquoise to muted grey-green depending on kiln conditions and clay body. Here, Kobayashi has achieved a colour that sits between sea and forest, shifting subtly as light changes. Over this ground, a cream-coloured slip has been applied in graduated tones, pooling darker at the base and lightening towards the shoulder. The effect suggests shoreline, or perhaps the way morning mist settles in valleys. The most arresting element is the branch motif that winds across the surface. Applied in the same cream slip but with deliberate, confident brushwork, it reads as calligraphic—the kind of mark that can only be made once, without revision. The branch structure is botanically plausible without being scientifically precise: bare winter wood, perhaps, or the skeletal remains of summer growth. It creates vertical movement that complements the vase's tapering form, drawing the eye upward whilst anchoring the composition. At 18 cm in height with a 7 cm diameter, the vase occupies what might be called the 'contemplative' scale—large enough to register presence on a shelf or alcove, compact enough not to dominate. The narrow neck opening, characteristic of Japanese flower vessels, encourages minimal arrangements: a single stem, a few leaves, or nothing at all. In contemporary interiors, particularly those influenced by Scandinavian or Japanese minimalism, such pieces function as much as sculpture as vessels. The surface shows a smooth, glossy finish with no visible crazing or firing flaws. The glaze transitions are clean, suggesting careful application and a well-controlled firing. There are no chips, cracks, or abrasions visible. The rim is cleanly finished, and the overall condition indicates the piece has been carefully handled and stored. It presents as essentially pristine. Kobayashi's extensive exhibition history in Europe—particularly his repeated presence in Paris, the historical centre of Western decorative arts—speaks to the international appeal of his work. European collectors and institutions, with their long-established traditions of ceramic appreciation ranging from Sèvres porcelain to studio pottery movements, have consistently recognised the quality and aesthetic coherence of his pieces. For collectors of Japanese studio pottery, particularly those interested in work that has achieved genuine cross-cultural recognition, pieces by Kobayashi represent both aesthetic value and documented provenance within the international ceramics community. If you appreciate Japanese studio pottery that rewards quiet observation, and if you value work by an artist whose excellence has been recognised by major European institutions, this vase offers a compelling opportunity. Shipping & Handling We ship worldwide via DHL or EMS with full insurance and tracking. Professional packing ensures safe arrival; combined shipping available for multiple wins. Local customs duties are the buyer's responsibility. Seller Guarantee We specialise in authentic Japanese ceramics and guarantee this piece's authenticity. Questions welcome—we reply within 24 hours.