Blue: A Brief History
Blue has an unparalleled status in the history of Asian ceramics. In China, the invention of blue-and-white porcelain (quinhua in Chinese) not only reshaped the artistic identify of Chinese ceramics but also inspired Korean and Japanese potters to incorporate their own distinct shades of blue.
Japan is a late comer in the making of blue ceramics. True Japanese porcelain production did not begin until the early 17th century (around 1616) in Arita, Hizen Province. This was two centuries after Korea began producing its own blue-and-white porcelain, heavily influenced by works from China’s Ming dynasty. But Japan caught up quickly and emerged as a major exporter of blue-porcelain known as sometsuke to the West in the mid-17th century after the collapse of the Ming dynasty. Painted with cobalt blue under a transparent glaze, sometsuke initially drew inspiration from Chinese and Korean styles before adapting to European orders with more colorful glazes and decorations. By the mid-to-late 17th century, Japanese production expanded from simple underglaze blue pieces such as early Imari and Kakiemon porcelain into pieces that incorporated colorful overglaze enamels such as polychrome Imari, delicate Kakiemon and vibrantly decorative Kutani wares, all of which appealed to the European market.
Color Symbolism
As in most things Asian, colors are not just decorative but hold symbolic meanings. Before the modern era, early Japan recognized four primary colors: red, black, white, and blue. Each held symbolic significance. Red (aka) stands for light and life, which is why it is the color of the symbolic Sun in Japan’s national flag. In ceramics, too, red symbolizes vitality, representing life force, good fortune and happiness.
Black (kuro) is the quintessential color for wabi-sabi in Japanese ceramics, embodying the idea of beauty in imperfection, austerity, and quiet dignity. For centuries black was the color of choice for the iconic tea bowl (chawan) used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
White (shiro) symbolizes purity, simplicity, and spiritual cleanliness, concepts that are deeply rooted in Shinto Buddhism. In pottery, white is frequently associated with minimalism, quiet elegance, and a sense of fresh beginnings. It is the color of kohiki ware (white slip over an iron-rich clay base) that Japan copied from Korean potters in the 15th century. It is also the dominant color in Shino ware originating in the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture in the 16th century. Due to their rustic textures, kohiki and shino tea bowls were highly valued by the early tea connoisseurs. Not until the early 17th century, following the discovery of local kaolin-rich stone, did another form of white ceramics emerge in quantities: white porcelain (hakuji) from Arita in Saga Prefecture, northern Kyushu. Hakuji was a true Japanese porcelain. Its striking translucent snowy-white base, thin and lightweight structure, and high durability when fired gave potters the chance to showcase their wheel-forming mastery in making vessels with clean, luminous white surfaces, a practice that continued to this day.
Blue (ao) is symbolic of tranquility and natural elements such as the sea and sky. Being an island nation connected to the sea, blue was a natural constant in the collective imagination of the Japanese. This sensibility is evident in depictions of Mount Fuji, which is often rendered in blue tones to evoke atmosphere and the sublime.
Blue is also an esteemed color in Japanese ceramics. Certain blue hues were prized in ceramics for their delicate beauty and refinement. At the pinnacle is celadon (seiji), whose distinctive pale blue green hue was coveted by Japanese elites from the early 17th century. Celadon is still highly prized today in functional wares like tea bowls and sake vessels, incense containers and flower vases. In recent times, two ceramic artists have been awarded the title of Living National Treasures for their work in celadon: MIURA Koheji (1933-2006) in 1997 and NAKAJIMA Hiroshi (1941-2018) in 2007. Both artist’s works were inspired by Chinese Song celadon ware, though each developed their own distinctive style of glazes and motifs.
Sometsuke is the traditional Japanese art of painting blue-and-white porcelain using a cobalt-oxide pigment called gosu under a clear glaze. Imported from China during the mid-17th century, sometsuke production began in the early 17th century in Arita, pioneered by Korean potter Yi Sam-pyeong after porcelain stone was discovered locally. Early sometsuke pieces closely echoed Chinese prototypes. Modern ones incorporate distinctive Japanese aesthetics emphasizing simpler and more spontaneous decorations in the wabi-sabi spirit. Notable master potters and ceramic dynasties kept this legacy alive by blending classical techniques with contemporary innovations. Among them is the illustrious Kondō Family based in Kyoto currently helmed by KONDO Takahiro (b. 1958). The grandson of Living National Treasure, KONDO Yūzō (1902–1985), Takahiro has expanded the family’s heritage by combining traditional sometsuke with modern artistry using slab-built porcelain, cast glass, and metals, famously inventing his signature “silver mist” (gintekisai) glaze.
Blue remains a popular color in contemporary Japanese ceramics, with new artists constantly joining the ranks in bridging centuries-old tradition with bold, modern sculptural forms. Their works cover a wide spectrum of clay types and firing methods, from wood-fired unglazed Bizen ware to avant-garde sometsuke sculptures that would look perfect at home in a modern art gallery. Other than KONDO Takahiro, artists who have reimagined blue for the contemporary era include:
KIMURA Yosihiro (b. 1946), known for his curvy minimalist vessels featuring his signature deep aquamarine and sapphire glaze called hekiyu,
NAKAJIMA Harumi (b. 1950) who is a titan of the post-war contemporary ceramics in Japan. He is most well-known for his large biomorphic sculptures that featured blue polka dots on a white porcelain background.
GOSEKI Hiroshi (b. 1988), a rising star of centuries-old Bizen ceramics. He is acclaimed for his ocean blue vessels that trap mesmerizing blue hues on a dark, scorched surface through precise control of the kiln environment.
Works of these and other artists will be featured in the exhibition below. The featured pieces are drawn from the Museum of Modern Ceramics SG in Singapore as well as other museums and private collections. Collectively, they showcase a wide range of classical and contemporary works in the blue tradition executed by master craftsmen with consummate technical skills and creativity.
Selected Works of Japanese Blue Ceramics
A blue porcelain dish of the Nabeshima type featuring herons and lotus foliage in white reserved against a deep underglaze cobalt blue field. The pairing of herons and lotus symbolizes continuous success or advancement. Nabeshima wares like this piece were produced in limited quantities during the Edo period for elites rather than the general public. They were used exclusively as diplomatic gifts and tributes for the Tokugawa shogunate, the Imperial Court, and feudal daimyō lords.
Born in Sado island in the east of Japan, Miura Koheji pursued a formal arts education and graduated from the Sculpture Department of Tokyo University of the Arts in 1955. This background heavily influenced the distinct three-dimensional forms and global figures that would later define his pottery. In 1997, he was designated a Living National Treasure for his mastery of celadon ceramics, becoming the very first celadon potter to achieve this prestigious status.
Nakajima Hiroshi was designated a Living National Treasure in 2007, the second after Miura Koheji, for his unparalleled innovations in celadon glaze techniques. He is most well known for developing an iconic, deep sky-blue style of celadon known as ten seiji (sky-blue celadon) or simply “Nakajima Blue”.
Celebrated as a modern master of seiji (celadon), Masayuki Uraguchi’s avant-garde approach directly challenges the traditional expectations of celadon ware. He breaks the associations by manipulating form, structure, and glazes to create highly contemporary sculptural works such as this vase which stretches upward and outward into sweeping, wing-like points. These pieces bring celadon ware into the realm of abstract architectural sculptures.
A vase with a very similar form to the previous piece by Uraguichi Masayuki. A bulbous body transitions into flares that soar upwards and outwards like budding leaves. The surface is a dynamic gradient of soft lavender and sky-blue while the bottom portion is unglazed, revealing the dark clay body beneath. Wakao Kei comes from a distinguished pottery lineage, being the second son of Wakao Toshisada who was given the title Important Intangible Cultural Property of Gifu Prefecture for Shino ware. Kei’s works, while modeled after Chinese Song celadon ware, are infused with his own contemporary vision, resulting in works that feels both traditional and modern. His crackled and crystalized celadon glazes vary in color from gray to blue to white that are often contrasted with exposed clay as in this piece.
An exceptional sake cup by Wako Makoto, the elder brother of Wako Kei, featuring thick layers of soft blue glaze and delicate crackle patterns. Portions at the base reveal exposed clay, providing color and textural contrasts to the otherwise smooth lustrous body. Like his brother, Makoto is is a master celadon artist who has exhibited widely in Japan and garnered many honors, including the prestigious Japan Kogei (Craft) Association award in 2009.
A celadon bowl in light blue-green hues by award-winning contemporary artist Kawase Shinobu. The work demonstrates Kawase’s signature style, fusing Chinese Song celadon glazing techniques with fluid, organic forms inspired by nature, seen here in the undulating, leaf-shaped rim. Kawase’s works are widely exhibited at institutions like the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
A tall vase by Kondo Yuzo who was designated a Living National Treasure in 1977 for his mastery of sometsuke (underglaze blue and white porcelain). Born in Kyoto, he revolutionized traditional sometsuke by transforming it from a medium for small intricate patterns into a canvas for bold and painterly expressions. In a Monet-like fashion, his motifs, painted on the ceramics in blue glaze, were taken from his studio garden view—the plum, bamboo, pomegranate and thistle.
A boldly patterned vase with leaf or wave patterns by legendary potter Kamoda Shoji. Kamoda is celebrated for constantly reinventing his style rather than sticking to traditional forms. This stoneware vessel with blue enamels and engobes is emblematic of his artistic approach. It was made in 1976, a period when his work featured distinct organic forms and dynamic surface patterns. His premature death only increased his stature as one of greatest Japanese potters of the 20th century.
A voluptuous vase in cubic form, the surface covered with cerulean blue glaze with a touch of dark green at the bottom. The landscape resembles an outdoor twilight scene reminiscent of one of Monet’s famous water lilies paintings. Born in Kyoto, Fujihara Shin studied under two of Kyoto’s most eminent potters: Kawai Kajiro and Kiyomizu Rokubei VI and incorporating elements of both masters but developed his own artistic language that gives priority to subtly colored surfaces. His works are held in leading museums in Japan, including the Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto and Tokyo.
Neriage is the technique of laying different colored clays to create a marbled-like surface. Matsui Kosei was designated a Living National Treasure in 1993 for his precise mastery of this technique which he parlayed mainly on tea bowls. This tea bowl features a rough, textured off-white body on which “petals” of cobalt blue and indigo seem to float and dance. While some of Matsui’s tea bowls are of dazzling complexity, here he chooses to work in a quieter and more restraint style.
An “oceanic” sake cup by master potter Miyashita Zenji (1939-2012) renowned internationally for his unique layering technique known as saidei which translates to “colored clays”. The technique achieves depth and landscape imagery inherently through the structure of the clay itself. Through this method, he transformed the surfaces of his stoneware and porcelain vessels into ethereal abstractions that evoke rolling ocean waves and distant mountain ranges. Miyashita’s works are highly valued by collectors and are also held in major international museums.
A bulbous vase by the renowned porcelain artist Yasokichi Tokuda III featuring a deep glass-like cobalt blue glaze with accents of turquoise and emerald-green tones. Yasokichi was designated a Living National Treasure in 1997 precisely in recognition of works like this piece, that demonstrate his mastery of Kutani porcelain glaze featuring delicate gradations of color and luminous contrasts.
Bizen is one of Japan’s six ancient kilns. The region’s clay is known for its iron-rich clay that produces a dark reddish-brown hue when fired unglazed (more precisely, using on natural pine wood ash as the glaze). Starving the kiln of oxygen (reduction) can alter the color to blue or even black but requires expert control of vessel placement and the kiln environment. This Ao (blue) tea bowl by young ceramicist Goseki Hiroshi shows his mastery of the “blue bizen” style. The “front” of the tea bowl features a vertical splash of luminous blue that seems to float over the rest of the dark indigo blue-black body. For the reasons mentioned, such pieces are rare in Bizen ceramics.
A katakuchi is a traditional Japanese spouted bowl or pouring vessel, literally translating to “one-sided mouth.” This katakuchi by the contemporary ceramicist, Matsutani Fumio is a bold departure from the norm. Asymmetric in form, and filled with tension, the surface ripples with waves of white “foams” that transition to blue as they rise toward the spout, giving the vessel a lively sense of movement. Matsutani Fumio is a contemporary artist known for his meticulously crafted vessels and stunning glazes, with blue being a signature color. This may have something to do with Ehime Prefecture where he is based. Occupying the western region of Shikoku Island, Ehime is a captivating destination that perfectly balances rugged mountain terrain with a sprawling coastline that kisses the island-dotted Seto Inland Sea.
A tall tower sculpture covered in blue underglaze, the surface studded with dense metallic glaze comprised of silver, gold, platinum and glass droplets, creating a shimmering texture meant to mimic dew or condensation. Kondo Takahiro comes from a highly respected Kyoto porcelain lineage. His father, Kondo Yuzo, was recognized as a Living National Treasure in blue and white porcelain.
A contoured bowl in stunning cobalt blue by contemporary artist Kimura Yoshiro who is known for his vibrant deep gradations of blue often referred to as “Kimura Blue.”. Kimura’s work is inspired by the sky and ocean gleaned from his travels. This piece, titled Hatenaki (“The Eternal”) is crafted from semi-porcelain clay. The mesmerizing texture is created through meticulous line engraving which produces a ripple pattern underneath layered coats of his signature cobalt blue glaze.
Born in Gifu Prefecture in 1950, Nakashima Harumi is internationally known for his signature blue polka dots on white porcelain sculptures that are strictly art pieces. This work – a container – is a rare exception. The container portion features his trademark blue and white design while the lid is a series of fused spheres glazed in silver and covered with smaller blue and white polka dots. His playful ceramics are strongly influenced by the avant-garde Sōdeisha movement that prioritizes purely aesthetic expression over utility.
A large bowl by Imada Yoko known for her highly expressive, fluid, and minimalist porcelain vessels featuring dynamic cobalt blue brush strokes on white porcelain. In a striking departure from traditional methods, Imada applies a pale blue or white transparent glaze first, then adds vibrant overglaze splashes of cobalt blue splashes over the glaze before firing the piece in a gas kiln at 1260°C. The result are vessels that display raw, kinetic energy poetically referred to “whirlwinds of color” frozen on porcelain.
Featuring a luminous blue and white glazed background and brushes of gold paint, this tea bowl pays tribute to the Rinpa aesthetic, a major artistic tradition in Japanese art that emerged in the 17th century and continues to influence modern design. The elements of Rinpa paintings: abstract motifs referencing nature and the use of gold or silver leaf for accent and contrast are reinterpreted in porcelain by Matsubayashi Hosai who is the 16th head of a pottery lineage in Kyoto that goes back 400 years.
An avant-garde tea bowl with beveled sides and irregular rim, the surface covered with organic patterns in white, blue and silver. Born in 1984, Imanishi Hirotake trained as a biologist before deciding to make a career in pottery. His vessels are hand-built using hybrid clay, Kutani and metallic glazes to express the elemental power of soil that sustains life on earth.