This brilliant Gosu-glazed flask by Kawai Kanjiro presents a striking sculptural form, with an open mouth recalling four-petalled. Gosu (呉須), the Japanese term for traditional cobalt-based blue pigments and enamels, lends the piece its deep, luminous hues. The flask’s dramatic silhouette carries a noble presence—subtle, yet brimming with dynamic energy in its angular form. The centre presents a pointed quatrefoil design, adding to its stately posture.

Brooklyn Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Portland Art Museum, Oregon

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

Yale University Art Gallery

Newcastle Art Gallery, Australia

National Gallery of Australia

Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Australia

Victoria & Albert Museum

Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo

Musee Tomo, Tokyo

The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo

The National Museum of Art, Osaka

The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

1890 Born in Shimane, Japan as a son of architect

His birth-mother passed away

1910 Graduated from Matsue Junior High School and enrolled in Tokyo Technical College

1911 Moved by the new works of Barnard Leach in his exhibition in Akasaka

1914 Graduated from Tokyo Technical College and enrolled to Kyoto Ceramics Research Center. Studied glazes under the guidance of Kosuke Hirai and Shinobu Komori.

1916 Left Kyoto Ceramics Research Center and worked for Rokubei Shimizu for two years as a supervisor of glaze. Traveled with Shoji Hamada (1984-1997) and visited kilns in Okinawa and Kyushu.

1919 Traveled to Korea and Manchuria with Hamada

1920 Inherited Shumizu’s kiln and built house and studio (current Kanjiro Kawai Museum) Married to Tsune.

1921 Participated in the first Creative Ceramic Work Exhibition, Takashimaya Department Store, Tokyo

1922 Published own catalogue. Received good reviews for the 2nd Creative Ceramic Work Exhibition, Takashimaya Department Store, Tokyo

1923 Participated in the 3rd Creative Ceramic Work Exhibition

1924 Worked with Hamada and became familiar with slipware, a new material which Hamada brought from England. Came to know Muneyoshi Yanagi through Hamada. Gave a lecture at Kyoto National Museum and Osaka Bijutu Club. First daughter, Suyako, was born.

1925 Participated in the 5th Creative Ceramic Work Exhibition. Visited northern archeological sites in Kishu province with Hamada and Yanagi. On the way back, in the car, Yanagi invented a ward “Mingei – the art by the hand of publics”

1926 Discussed with Yanagi and Hamada regarding the plan to establish Japan Mingei Museum.

1928 Participated in Tokyo Expo by building Mingei-kan

1929 Conducted Japan Mingei Exhibition with Yanagi

Solo Exhibitions, Takashimaya Department Store, Tokyo & London

1930 Participated in the England-Japan Contemporary Crafts Exhibition with Hamada and Tomimoto.

Solo exhibition, Takashimaya Department Store, Tokyo

The 10th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibition, Osaka Bijutu Club

1931 Started a magazine “Kogei” with Yanagi and Hamada

1932 Solo Exhibition, Yamanaka Shokai, London

1933 Exhibitions in Tokyo and Kurashiki

Traveled with Yanagi and Hamada and visited kiln sites in Kyushu

1934 “Modern Japanese Craft Ceramic Exhibition”, Takashima-ya, Ueno, Tokyo

Participated in “10 Ceramic Artists Exhibition” with Hazan Itaya, Kenkichi Tomimoto, Bernard Leach, Shoji Hamada, Rokubei Shimizu, etc.

1935 Traveled to China and Korea with Yanagi and Hamada

1936 Exhibition, Takashima-ya, Tokyo

Traveled to Korea with Yanagi and Hamada

Japan Craft Museum opened

1937 Grand Prize in Paris Expo for Iron-covert Red Vase with Flower Design

Assigned as president at Japan Craft Museum

Complete renovation of his house (current Kanjiro Museum) designed by himself

1939 Traveled to Okinawa with members from Japan Craft Association

1940 Three-artist exhibition with Kenkichi Tomimoto and Shoji Hamada which organized by Yanagi, Kyukyodo, Tokyo

20th Anniversary Exhibition, Takashima-ya, Tokyo

1941 Traveled to China with Yanagi and Hamada

Participated in the First Contemporary Japanese Ceramic Art exhibition

1943 Two-artist exhibitions with Shoji Hamada at Takashima-ya, Tokyo and Osaka

1946 Solo exhibition, Takashima-ya, Tokyo

1947 Participated in National Exhbition, (Koku-ten) with 20 pieces

1948 Two of his books were published by Nishimura Shoten, Kyoto

1949 Two-artist exhibition with Shoji Hamada

Lectured at Japan Craft Museum about Iron-Covert glaze

1950 60-year-old Anniversary Exhibition, Japan Craft Museum, Tokyo

Anniversary Exhibitions, Takashima-ya, Tokyo and Osaka

1951 Participated in a ceramic exhibition in France

Started wood carving

1952 Three-artist exhibition with Shoji Hamada and Kenkichi Tomomoto, Takashima-ya, Tokyo

1953 Exhibitions in various locations

1954 Three-artist exhibition with Hamada and Tomomoto, Takashima-ya, Tokyo

Three-artist exhibition with Hamada and Leach, Kobe Daimaru & Tokyu Department Store, Tokyo

Four-artist exhibition with Hamada and Tomomoto and Leach, Takashima-ya, Tokyo

1956 Donated 50 Tea Bowls with Hamada to Japan Craft Museum for its renovation fund-raising purpose

Two-artist exhibition with Hamada, Matsuzaka-ya, Nagoya

1957 40th Anniversary exhibition, Takashima-ya, Kyoto, Tokyo and Oriental Nakamura, Nagoya

Trveled to Okinawa

Grand Prize in Milan Exhibition, Italy

1958 Interest more in wood-carving and masks

Started dripping and geometric design

Hospitalized because of colon problems

1959 Solo exhibitions in Tokyo and Osaka

1960 Visited Hokkaido for the Three-artist exhibition with Yanagi and Kawai, Sapporo

Five-artist exhibition with Hamada, Shiko Munakata, Tatsuaki Kuroda, Keisuke Serizawa, Tokyo

1961 Four-artist exhibition with Leach, Tomimoto, Hamada at Ohara Museum

1962 Solo exhibitions, Temma-ya in Okayama and Takashima-ya in Tokyo & Osaka

1963 Solo exhibitions, Oriental Nakamura in Nagoya and Takashima-ya in Osaka

1964 Solo exhibitions, Oriental Nakamura in Nagoya and Takashima-ya in Tokyo & Osaka

1966 Solo and group exhibitions in various locations

Passed away at the age of 76