Vase - Porcelain - Japan - Rare in the EU — No customs

Vase: Dawn over the Arita valley

Porcelain vase by Fujii Shumei from a European collection. Shipping from Europe: no customs fees for bidders from the European Union.

The piece features a slender silhouette topped with a fine, vertical collar. The decor is arranged in a gentle gradient from blue to lavender shades, then to white, evoking the diffuse light of a dawn above the valley of Arita.
The forests covering the slopes are created using the konoha-gihō technique: leaves are applied to the surface before firing, leaving the imprint of their veins. These natural textures create a layering of planes, from the dark trees of the first level to the lighter masses that blend into the colored mist.
This passage from dark to light, reinforced by successive layers of vegetal reliefs, gives the vase a pronounced atmospheric depth: the eye passes over the tree-lined ridges to reach the upper zone, bathed in a pale light reminiscent of the early moments of the day.

Dimensions
Height: 29 cm
Diameter: 12 cm

Fujii Shumei (1936–2017)
A ceramic artist from Arita (Saga Prefecture). Founder of the Shumeigama kiln in 1974. He develops a personal visual language based on traditional Arita techniques, enriched with innovative methods, including konoha-gihō, which has become his signature. He has been selected multiple times for the Nitten and the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. He was awarded the Saga Prefecture Cultural Achievement Award in 1994. Some of his works are held in public collections, including the British Museum.



English version:

Vase: Dawn over the Arita Valley

Porcelain vase by Fujii Shumei. Shipped from Europe: no customs fees for EU bidders.

The vase has an elongated body topped by a slender neck. The decoration unfolds in a gradient from blue to subtle lavender tones and finally white, suggesting the soft, rising light of dawn over the Arita valley.
The forested slopes are created using the konoha‑gihō leaf‑imprint technique: leaves are pressed onto the surface before firing, and their natural vein patterns form layered textures. These overlapping impressions structure the landscape, from the darker foreground trees to the lighter, mist‑covered ridges blending into the pale upper light.
The transition from deep tones to near-white creates a pronounced sense of atmospheric depth, guiding the eye from the dense forest toward the luminous sky.

Dimensions
Height: 29 cm
Diameter: 12 cm

Fujii Shumei (1936–2017)

Ceramist from Arita (Saga Prefecture). Founder of the Shumeigama kiln in 1974. Known for merging traditional Arita porcelain techniques with personal innovations, especially the konoha-gihō leaf-texture method. Exhibited at Nitten and the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. Recipient of the Saga Prefecture Cultural Achievement Award (1994). Some works are held in public collections, including the British Museum.