Hakata Wasaki Japanese Ceramic Nativity Scene Figurines

Bear figurine in ceramic by Knud Kyhn Ceramic figurine from Royal Copenhagen. Additional information: Material: Ceramic Artist: Knud Kyhn ...

Bear figurine in Ceramic by Gunnar Nylund Stoneware figurine from Rörstrand. Additional information: Material: Ceramic Artist: Gunnar Nylun...

"Purple Dawn", a ceramic sculpture piece by Japanese potter Kiyoharu Ichino (1957-). Purchased from Touching Stone, Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2003. Tradition meets renovation, this sculptural piece with its slab like minimal shape draws the viewer into its mysterious shape that is reminiscent of a monument. Its surface, with the typical Tanba clay fired at very high temperature and completely free of glaze, radiates a subtle metallic sheen that is nearly in a shade of purple. This piece was purchased from Touching Stone, Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2003. Artist's bio from the gallery and the exhibition: "Kiyoharu Ichino was born in 1957 in Tachikui into an extended family steeped in pottery-making tradition. He learned all aspects of Tanba pottery since childhood. When he was twenty, he moved to Seto to study pottery under a master of Akatsu-yaki. Upon returning to Tachikui, he launched his career with the Tanba Group Kiln. In 1983, he established his own kiln and began showing in galleries all over Japan. His works have been selected repeatedly for the prestigious juried Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition sponsored by the Japan Crafts Association. In 1995, he was nominated to be a permanent member of The Japan Crafts Association, an honor bestowed to the most experienced and talented artists. Traditional Tanba pottery is fired unglazed at very high temperature in large wood-fueled kilns. Ichino uses both an anagama (hole kiln) and a noborigama (climbing kiln), burning almost a thousand bundles of wood over several days to bring out the unique personalities of Tanba clay, which is renowned for its rich texture and deep purplish brown colors. Many of his pieces show silvery fire-marks like swirling mists left by the wood fire. His pieces appear to be integral parts of the clay rather than separate objects made from it. To show the unique clay texture, he often includes seemingly unfinished edges in his designs, exposing the rough clay body. Despite the high level of sophistication and innovation, Ichino's works maintain a strong connection with the ancient Tanba pottery tradition. Ichino should be no stranger to many Santa Fe residents. His work has been exhibited both in Touching Stone Gallery and as part of a major exhibition in the New Mexico Museum of International Folk Art in 2006. About Tanba ware...

A ceramic square plate with white-celadon glaze by Japanese potter Yoshikawa Masamichi (1946-). The sharp-edged plate features a concaved center an...

A richly glazed ceramic sculptural slab in the shape of a centerpiece plate by Japanese ceramic artist Yoshikawa Masamichi (1946-). The highly abst...

Portuguese Folk Art terracotta hand painted polychrome cow whistle by Ana Baraça (1904-2001), used as a Christmas Nativity Scene figurine. Ana Ba...

Nauru sculpture The copper details of this sculpture are able to show different colors thanks to the concentric lines present on the surface that expand and contract the space whe...

A visibly old pair of mold-formed terracota women kneeling, dating to the Majapahit Empire circa the 15th century. These were excavated amongst the shrines of Mount Penganggungan, Ea...

A fantastic Japanese Aote type Kutani incense burner, koro, in the form a phoenix, Showa era, circa 1930's, Japan. The censer, koro, gracefull...

Very nice and rare 20th century French set of plaster nativity scene figurines. Twelve pieces are representing the religious nativity characters and the animals. Large dimensions. ...