Large Ceramic Vase by Brother Thomas Bezanson

An early ceramic long-neck vase with a brilliant copper red glaze by Benedictine monk potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). The minimalistic an...

A glazed ceramic vase in slender spindle form from the Chang Ware series by Royal Doulton (England, founded 1815) circa 1920-30s. The vase was decorated with thick and dripping glaze in rich mottled polychrome colors. The glaze shows overall irregular crackles, a signature characteristic of Chang Ware. The base is hand-marked "NOKE", Royal Doulton in rectangle and initial HN (for Harry Nixon). Developed by Charles J. Noke (1858-1941), Doulton's Art Director, as part of his experimentation into Chinese flambé glazes during the 1920s. Fired at very high temperatures, they were introduced commercially by Doulton in 1925 in response to popular demand for eastern style ceramics. They were applied primarily by Harry Nixon (1886-1955). The name Chang Ware was used by Doulton in reference to the possibly mythical Song potter, Chang the Elder, although it bears little relationship to Song ceramics.

A wonderfully glazed, beautifully crafted, and classically shaped vase/vessel by renowned Canadian master potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). Brother Thomas studied design at Nova Scotia College in the late 40s and early 50s, It was during this time that he discovered a love for the ceramic art form. In 1959 he became a monk and joined the Weston Priory, Vermont, a community of Benedictine men. Here he continued his art while also pursuing a degree in philosophy. In 1978 he traveled to Japan where he met and worked with five Japanese potters, designated “Living National Treasures” by the Japanese government. These particular artists and the time spent with them deeply influenced his work and his thought. In 1985, he became artist-in-residence at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery in Erie, Pennsylvania, where worked until his death in 2007. Brother Thomas was universally known and esteemed for his mastery of complex glazes and his adaptation and application of traditional Chinese and Japanese pottery methods and materials. The vase features a sumptuous green glaze that absolutely radiates in the light. The work is signed by Brother Thomas with his traditional signature and cipher. A special piece. Would be a great addition to any Brother Thomas or Mid-Century pottery/ceramics collection or make for an eye catching stand alone accent work in about any setting. His work can be found in numerous collections and international museums including: Aidekman Art Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA Allen Art Museum, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL Bunting Institute, Radcliffe College, Cambridge, MA Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec, Canada Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, New York, NY Davis Museum and Cultural Center, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA Dimock Gallery, George Washington University, Washington, DC Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY Fleming Museum, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA Framingham State University, Framingham, MA Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ Portland Museum of Art Portland, ME Pucker Gallery...

Ceramic vase by Accolay, circa 1960-1970.