– A contemporary studio ceramic plate by the Japanese potter Yamaguchi Yoshitsugu (山口由次) – Decorated in kinsai (gold) and platinum luster on a deep black glazed ground – a hand-painted night sky scattered with stars – Medium scale at approximately 21 cm across and 3 cm tall, with the Milky Way appearing in the well of the dish Summary: A quietly poetic contemporary studio plate by the Japanese potter Yamaguchi Yoshitsugu, hand-painted with the artist's signature “Hoshikuzu” (literally “Stardust”) motif. The deep black-glazed ground reads as a clear night sky, scattered with countless tiny stars in gold (kinsai) and platinum luster; tilted in the light, a soft band of the Milky Way emerges across the well of the dish. As a piece of contemporary Japanese ceramic art and as a working utensil for the modern table, it appeals strongly to European collectors who value the meeting point between traditional Japanese craft and quietly imaginative contemporary design. The making process is long and disciplined. The body is wheel-thrown, biscuit-fired, glazed in deep black, and then fired again to maturity at 1250 °C. Once the high-fire stoneware is complete, the artist applies the gold and platinum decoration by hand using metallic lustre pigments, then fires the piece a third time at the much lower 800 °C – the precise temperature window in which the metals bond to the glaze and develop their characteristic shimmering surface. This three-firing process, with metallic decoration applied after the main glaze firing, links the work to the wider family of luster techniques (rasutā-sai) that has fascinated potters in both Japan and the Islamic world for over a thousand years. The decorative idea is as accessible as it is beautiful. The viewer looks down into the well of the plate and sees, quite literally, a small portion of the night sky: scatterings of fine gold and platinum dots glittering on the dark ground, with a paler, denser path drifting across as the Milky Way. The effect is more pronounced as the plate is tilted in directional light – flat photographs cannot fully capture the way the metallic decoration catches and releases the light as the dish moves. The form is generous and slightly hand-modulated, in the style favoured by contemporary Japanese studio potters: built on the wheel but allowed to settle slightly out of perfect geometry. At 21 cm across and 3 cm tall, it works equally well as an everyday small-serving plate for sashimi, sweets or small dishes, as a dedicated display piece on a stand, or as the kind of object one keeps on a writing desk simply for the pleasure of looking at it. In a European interior, a piece like this has many lives. Used at the table, it transforms the simplest food into something celebratory; displayed on a stand, it reads as a small framed nightscape; pair it with other Japanese ceramics or set against a clean white wall, and it holds its own without effort. Important note for users: as the gold and platinum decoration is real precious metal applied at low temperature, the plate is not microwave safe. Hand-washing is recommended. The piece is in pristine condition, sold directly from the artist's kiln. Minor hand-made variations are characteristic of one-off studio work and are part of the appeal. A genuinely poetic contemporary Japanese studio plate, with all the quiet beauty that a small night sky brought to the dinner table can offer. 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.