Tall slender Vase by Yoshiro KIMURA

Finely potted with a slender elongated neck supported to a broad base in imitation of a stylized leaf and rising to an arched-edged mouth, covered in a rich, lustrous, finely crackled midnight blue glaze, progressively transforming into shades of turquoise towards the upper section and attractively pooling to the interior below the mouth.

With a wood tomobako inscribed Hekiyu suiryoki, Kimura Yoshiro [blue glaze vase with faceted ridged surface, made by Kimura Yoshiro] and sealed YOSHIRO.

With a label stuck to the base inscribed Hekiyu ryoki, Higashi-Hiroshima-shi Saijo-chojike 6010 [A faceted vase with blue glaze, made by Kimura Yoshiro, address Saijo-chojike 6010, East Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture].

Yoshiro Kimura (b.1946)

Hiroshima-based artist Yoshiro Kimura (b. 1946) creates porcelain works that capture the deep, vibrant blues of oceans and skies. Influenced by Zen Buddhism and the Way of Tea, Kimura’s artistic journey was shaped by extensive travels to over 47 countries during his university years. He was first captivated by the enigmatic blue pigments of ancient Persian ceramics, and later inspired by the vivid colors of the Aegean Sea and the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii, seeking to evoke these natural hues in his own work.

Kimura is celebrated for his signature hekiyu (blue glaze), producing ceramics that combine technical mastery with poetic expression. His works are held in major collections worldwide, including the British Museum, the Musée national de céramique – Sèvres, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Museo Art Nouveau y Art Déco in Salamanca, among others.