Jar with murasaki plant

Takeda Toshio is one of many potters active in the town of Mashiko, in Tochigi prefecture, made famous by the potter Hamada Sho_ji. After Takeda graduated from Kanazawa Arts and Crafts University in 1955, he studied with various ceramists before apprenticing with Tamura Ko_ichi, who was known for his strong brushwork and rich, iron glazes. Here, Takeda demonstrates his own bold painting technique in rendering arching, berry-laden branches around the surface of this dramatically swelling vase.