{"product_id":"japanese-sometsuke-peach-form-mukozuke","title":"Japanese Sometsuke Peach-Form Mukozuke","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eA beautifully expressive porcelain dish by Japanese ceramic artist \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eRenji Nakagaki (b. 1954)\u003c\/span\u003e of Shūhō Kiln in Toki, Gifu Prefecture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eFormed in the shape of a peach, the dish is hand-painted in traditional \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003esometsuke\u003c\/span\u003e underglaze blue with a flowering branch motif. The cobalt decoration shifts from deep, inky outlines to softer washes of blue, giving the painting the spontaneous character of the artist’s brushwork.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe sculptural quality continues underneath, where the peach form and leaf are modeled in relief and the vessel rests on three small feet. A blue kiln mark appears on the base.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eNakagaki is a third-generation ceramic artist working within the historic Mino pottery tradition. His work combines traditional Japanese ceramic techniques with playful, highly usable forms designed for the contemporary table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eTraditionally called a \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003emukozuke\u003c\/span\u003e, this type of individual serving vessel can be used for sashimi, small dishes and seasonal accompaniments. Its sculptural peach form also makes it a beautiful object for display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eDimensions: W 6\" x L 5.25\" x H 2\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eFood-safe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eHandcrafted in Toki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout Renji Nakagaki: \u003c\/b\u003eRenji Nakagaki (中垣連次, b. 1954) is a Japanese ceramic artist based in Toki, Gifu Prefecture, at the heart of Japan’s historic Mino pottery region. Born into a family of potters, Nakagaki studied under his father, ceramicist Katsumi Nakagaki, and in 1981 succeeded to the family title of \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003ethird-generation Shūhō\u003c\/span\u003e, continuing the work of Shūhō Kiln.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eNakagaki works across several traditions associated with Mino ceramics, including \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eShino and Oribe\u003c\/span\u003e, as well as finely painted \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003esometsuke\u003c\/span\u003e porcelain. His practice is rooted in traditional Japanese pottery while remaining closely connected to the everyday table. Rather than treating ceramics solely as objects for display, he creates vessels intended to be handled, used, and enjoyed with food.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eA distinctive quality of Nakagaki’s work is its balance between refinement and spontaneity. His painted porcelain often features freely brushed botanical, animal, and seasonal motifs in cobalt blue. Variations in the density of the pigment, irregular outlines, and visible traces of the brush give each vessel an individual character. His forms can be equally expressive, ranging from traditional bowls and plates to sculptural dishes shaped after natural forms such as fruit and leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eUnderlying this playfulness is the long ceramic history of \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eToki and the Mino region\u003c\/span\u003e, where pottery has been produced for centuries. Nakagaki’s work carries that tradition forward without simply reproducing historical forms. His vessels feel distinctly Japanese and connected to their place of origin, yet their simplicity, warmth, and functionality make them particularly suited to a contemporary table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eToday, Nakagaki continues to work from \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eShūhō Kiln in Toki\u003c\/span\u003e, producing ceramics that celebrate the relationship between craftsmanship, food, seasonality, and daily life.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Renji Nakagaki","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48445074407613,"sku":null,"price":82.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0583\/5217\/3245\/files\/IMG_4428.jpg?v=1789415202","url":"https:\/\/www.earthenarchive.com\/products\/japanese-sometsuke-peach-form-mukozuke","provider":"EarthenArchive","version":"1.0","type":"link"}