This lovely and expressive ink painting depicts a Japanese quince-patterned platter. During Tomimoto’s career, he worked simultaneously in a variety of media. He strongly believed that patterns and designs should not be repeated and that nature should be the principal source of inspiration, allowing an artist’s work to remain fresh and new. His sketches from nature became the models for his ceramics patterns and his paintings. Capping off the ends of this hanging scroll are two porcelain blue-and-white Tomimoto-designed end rollers that according to the box inscription were created by him at the first firing of the Tokyo Soshi Kiln.

References: 

Baekeland, Frederick. Moses, Robert. Modern Japanese Ceramics in American Collections. New York: Japan Society, Inc., 1993, 34,129-30.

Mirviss, Joan B with  Shibuya Kurodatoen Co.LTD, Vessel Explored Vessel Transformed, Tomimoto Kenkichi and His Enduring Legacy. Philadelphia: Phoenix Lihtographying Corp., 2019.

Shimizu, Christine. Tōji: Avant-Garde et Tradition de la céramique Japonaise.  Paris: Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 2006. Exhibition catalog: 42, 44.

Todate, Kazuko and Ann Nishimura Morse. Fired Earth, Woven Bamboo. Contemporary Japanese Ceramics and Bamboo Art. Boston, MA: MFA Publ., Museum of Fine Arts, 2013, p. 29.