When viewing the works of Itaya Hazan, one is first drawn to their dignified tranquillity and the astonishingly delicate surfaces of the vessels. In his works in ‘Hōkōsai’ porcelain, the patterns do not assert themselves forcefully but appear softly, as if emerging from beyond a mist, evoking a sense of depth the more one looks at them. Furthermore, his celadon and white porcelain pieces possess a refined elegance that, whilst keeping decoration to a minimum, highlights the beauty of the form itself. I believe the great appeal of Hazan’s works lies in the way he fused traditional ceramic techniques with a Western sensibility of form, thereby expanding the realm of ceramics from that of utilitarian objects to that of pure artistic expression.

Itaya Hazan (1872–1963) was a master who pioneered modern Japanese ceramics. Born in Shimodate, Ibaraki Prefecture, he established his own unique style of ceramic art after training in sculpture at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. Hazan’s most distinctive feature is the technique known as ‘Hōkōsai-ji’, in which a pale, soft glaze is applied over patterns carved into the surface of the vessel. Through this method, the patterns emerge as if shrouded in mist, revealing a new expression with every viewing. Together with botanical motifs that incorporate the elegance of Art Nouveau, he brought a wholly new aesthetic sensibility to Japanese ceramics. In his celadon and white porcelain works, he kept decoration to a minimum, emphasising the pure beauty of the form itself. Through the fusion of traditional ceramic techniques and a Western sensibility of form, he elevated ceramics from the realm of everyday objects to that of pure artistic expression. In 1953, he became the first ceramic artist to be awarded the Order of Culture. As the ‘father of modern ceramics’, he continues to influence many ceramic artists to this day.