Vase with Asagiri (morning mist) glaze, named "Ryu" (Clearness) 

A glossy black glaze is applied evenly over the surface, and a white glaze with a high shrinkage rate is layered on top. The cracks visible in the white glaze are caused by it shrinking during firing. The gray neck, which blends into the jet-black rim, is reminiscent of the sky at dawn, and the nuanced texture of the body is like morning mist. This bulbous body has a mysterious indentation, whose rounded, glossy, black-glazed shape resembles a drop of dew. “Ryu” in the title is a word meaning bright, pure, and clear. True to this title, a dignified presence permeates the whole object.
Inoue Ryosai III created highly modern works through his experimentation with different techniques, glazes and shapes. This is the final vase that he exhibited at the Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) the year before his death.
(SAKAMOTO Kyoko)