Hagi-yaki ceramic vase by Hideo Hatano

This glazed stoneware vase, crafted by Japanese ceramicist Hideo Hatano, is a perfect expression of the Hagi-yaki style. Covered with a white glaze characteristic of shiro-hagi , it presents subtle variations in texture: the soft, milky surface reveals, in places, the roughness of the clay and a subtle browning at the base, creating a refined interplay of materials. The whole fully embodies the wabi-sabi aesthetic dear to lovers of tea ceramics.

Hagi-yaki , developed in the city of Hagi (Yamaguchi Prefecture), originates from 16th-century Korean stoneware. It is distinguished by its soft, porous glazes, which evolve over time and with use. Highly valued in the world of chanoyu (tea ceremony) , Hagi-yaki reveals a discreet and changing beauty, in accordance with the principles of the way of tea.

Hideo Hatano, born in Hagi in 1971, graduated in sculpture from Tama Art University (1996). His work is regularly selected for major Japanese ceramics and traditional crafts exhibitions. He notably received the Saga TV Prize at the Kyushu Yamaguchi Ceramics Exhibition (2003), as well as a silver medal at the Otaki Ceramics Exhibition (Hokkaidō). He has been selected several times for the "Forms of the Tea Ceremony" exhibition at the Tanabe Art Museum. A member of the Japan Crafts Council, he pursues demanding research around Hagi-yaki , renewing glaze effects and textures. His pieces are very popular with Japanese ceramics enthusiasts and connoisseurs of the way of tea.

The vase is signed (engraved) under its base. It is presented in its signed wooden box (tomobako), along with an information document (shiori) detailing the profile of the ceramist.