Clay-Tile Mandala (Tōhen mandara)
Yamada was raised in Gifu, one of the traditional ceramic centers of Japan, but he trained in Kyoto, where he met fellow ceramist Yagi Kazuo and helped form the avant-garde ceramic group Sōdeisha. Like Yagi, Yamada initially worked on functional objects. From 1948, he became known for his innovative sculptural work. This rectangular, screen-style sculpture juxtaposes white- and brown-glazed geometric shapes. Here, the artist arranged tiles within a two-dimensional frame to create a mandala, a sacred diagram of the universe.
Artwork Details
- 山田光作 「陶片曼荼羅」
- Title: Clay-Tile Mandala (Tōhen mandara)
- Artist: Yamada Hikaru (Japanese, 1923–2001)
- Period: Shōwa period (1926–89)
- Date: 1973
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Glazed stoneware
- Dimensions: 18 3/4 × 13 3/4 × 3 3/8 in. (47.6 × 34.9 × 8.6 cm)
- Classification: Ceramics
- Credit Line: Gift of Halsey and Alice North, 2017
- Object Number: 2017.166.22
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Yamada Hikaru
1982
Yamada Hikaru
1989
Yamada Hikaru
1976
Akiyama Yō 秋山陽
2020
Kondō Yutaka
1964
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.