Unzen Artist-Made Serving Plate/Bowl — Large Irregular Studio Pottery, Painted Leaf Motif

A large, artist-made serving plate/bowl from the Unzen pottery tradition, hand-formed with a freeform, irregularly scalloped silhouette in a warm sandy stoneware glaze. The interior is decorated with a loose, watercolor-style painting of green leaves in varying tones of jade and forest green, bleeding softly into the surrounding glaze for a painterly, artistic effect. The rim is bordered with delicate incised sgraffito detailing — grape-like clusters and vine scrollwork. The underside shows three small unglazed kiln-stilt marks from firing, along with a faint artist’s signature/mark.

A striking centerpiece serving plate or decorative bowl — the organic, non-uniform shape and hand-painted botanical work are hallmarks of Unzen studio pottery.

Details:

• Form: large irregular/organic serving plate or shallow bowl, hand-formed with scalloped rim

• Origin: Unzen ware, artist-made studio pottery, Japan

• Decoration: hand-painted leaf motif in green tones; incised grape/vine scrollwork border

• Glaze: sandy tan stoneware glaze

• Marking: faint incised artist’s signature on base; three kiln-stilt marks from firing (see photos)

• Condition: Good vintage/secondhand condition. Natural glaze texture and firing marks consistent with genuine hand-made Unzen studio pottery (see photos).

• Dimensions: (L) 19.5cm x (L) 21.5cm x (H) 4cm