Vase with gingko
Decorated by Kataro Shirayamadani American, born Japan
Manufacturer Rookwood Pottery Company American
It was at the Rookwood Pottery that the drive toward more organic, plant-based forms found fruition in American art pottery. Whether it was a result of the general zeitgeist of 1900 or more specific influences from Europe, some Rookwood artists gradually freed their designs from the constraints of wheel-based forms and painted decoration. Kataro Shirayamadani, a Japanese decorator, led Rookwood to embrace a more organic repertoire, seen in this large vase decorated with gingko leaves and nuts. It is a thrown vase with an essentially cylindrical shape, but heavily modeled relief decoration covers and disguises the vase’s symmetrical walls. As a final touch, at the top, a branch of gingko extends upward, beyond the lip, creating an organic silhouette. This small organic gesture parallels ideas in French Art Nouveau pottery.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.