Tōsai — Μνημειακός κεραμικός ρινόκερος με διακόσμηση πανοπλίας σε αραβέσκ μοτίβα - Πήλινα - 肥沼美智雄 Koinuma Michio（1936- ） - Ιαπωνία - 1900–2000

Item Description:

肥沼美智雄 Koinuma Michio（1936- ）— Ceramic Rhinoceros Sculpture "Tōsai" (Ceramic Rhinoceros)

A monumental and deeply compelling ceramic rhinoceros sculpture by Koinuma Michio — one of the most singular and iconoclastic voices in contemporary Japanese ceramics.

Titled Tōsai (陶犀, "Ceramic Rhinoceros"), this large-scale figurative work is an outstanding example of the artist's celebrated fusion of ancient archaeological aesthetics with bold, highly personal sculptural invention.

The rhinoceros stands in a composed, four-square pose with its head tilted slightly upward and eyes closed in a meditative expression — projecting an air of ancient calm and otherworldly authority.

The powerful body is hollow, as revealed by the four circular openings at the bases of the legs — a structural device characteristic of Koinuma's high-fired sculptural works, allowing even heat distribution during firing.

A small, elegantly curved loop handle rises from the hindquarters, a subtle and mysterious detail that blurs the boundary between sculpture and vessel.

The tail curls upward in a characterful flourish.

The surface is an extraordinary achievement. Against a deep, iron-rich dark grey ground — fired at extremely high temperatures to a dense, semi-metallic hardness — Koinuma has applied bold, scale-like panels of vivid terracotta-red slip in a pattern evoking ancient armor plating or the hide of a mythological creature.

Within these panels, intricate scrolling arabesque designs (karakusa-mon) and radiating fan-stripe motifs are incised through the red slip to reveal the dark body beneath — creating a dazzling two-toned inlay effect of breathtaking refinement.

The technique directly references the sgraffito tradition while channeling the artist's deep fascination with ancient pottery and archaeological form.

The overall surface carries a fine dusting of kiln ash and natural fire-marks across the grey areas — the irreplaceable testimony of the flame.

This is a work of genuine sculptural power and artistic depth, utterly unlike any mass-produced ceramic: it demands attention and rewards close inspection at every angle.

Comes with original wooden presentation box (tomobako) signed and sealed by the artist.


Size
Height: 18 cm
Width: 33.5 cm
Depth: 12.5 cm
Weight: 2,511 g


Condition
The piece shows minor surface scuffs, natural kiln ash deposits, and age-related wear to the slip decoration consistent with the work's age and firing process; no cracks or structural damage noted. Please refer to photos for full details.


Artist Profile
肥沼美智雄 Koinuma Michio (1936– ) is a reclusive and highly individualistic ceramic artist based in Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture — the historic kiln town made famous by Living National Treasure Hamada Shoji. Born in Ome, Tokyo, Koinuma was profoundly influenced from childhood by his participation in archaeological excavations of ancient sites, an experience that ignited a lifelong fascination with the forms and textures of ancient pottery. After briefly attending university, he abandoned academia to pursue ceramics, establishing his own kiln in Mashiko in 1970. His work is characterized by extremely high-temperature reduction firing, producing dense, hard surfaces of great tactile intensity; bold figurative forms — particularly animals and sculptural vessels — derived from ancient archaeological prototypes; and highly distinctive surface decoration combining red-slip inlay, sgraffito arabesques, and natural kiln effects. He won the Excellence Prize at the North Kanto Art Exhibition (1974), held solo exhibitions at Kuroda Toen in Ginza (1975), Seibu Ikebukuro (1976), and Fujinoya (1994), and received the Tochigi Maronie Cultural Award (1991).


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