Large Ceramic Bowl with Brilliant Blue Glaze by Toshiko Takaezu

A large brilliantly glazed ceramic bowl made by Japanese American artist Toshiko Takaezu (American, 1922 - 2011) circa 1990. In a simple minimalistic form, the wide bowl with a short foot ring was made on the potter's wheel with a perfectly rounded shape. The pattern on this bowl reflects the hallmark style of the artist: free-flowing and hand-brushing, with the contrasting colors interacting with each other. The mottled colors drip, flow and overlap with random incursions on both the interior and exterior surface. The bottom of the interior features a few "scratched" white lines by the artist as spontaneous abstract expression. Embedded in overall blue hues, here are mottled black, brown and a hint of auberge and pink as well. The bowl is a great example of the artist's work that reflects the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi where perfection is achieved through imperfection. When one meditates on the glaze effect, it also has a quiet but playful ambience to it. The base is carved with the artist's insignia. There is a kiln grit remains in the center, and the artist therefore carved her insignia on the side as shown.
The artist used this particular shade of blue in a series of small pieces such as pots, bowls and plates around 1960s. See plate 25, 37, 38 and fig 13 in the book "Toshiko Takaezu Worlds Within Noguchi Yale". Then again, the cobalt blue color appeared in works from 1990s, see plate 90, 144-, 145 and 149. This particular bowl was purportedly purchased directly from the artist circa 1994.
Toshiko Takaezu's work was heavily influenced by the Japanese ceramic tradition, aesthetics and philosophy. The large bowl is mostly covered with brilliant shades of cobalt blue glaze mottled with black and deep brown color. The interior bottom surface showcases dramatic swirls of light blue on dark background. The free-spirited strokes are spontaneous and give an impression of an abstract painting or calligraphy, a feature that is cherished by the collector of Takaezu's work.