Toshiko Takaezu Glazed Ceramic Closed Form with Rattle

Item Details

Toshiko Takaezu (American, 1922–2011)
Glazed stoneware closed form vessel with rattle
Initialed to undersside

Toshiko Takaezu (1922–2011) was a pioneering American ceramicist celebrated for her signature closed forms that blended Abstract Expressionism with East Asian influences such as ink painting and the Japanese tea ceremony. Beginning in the 1950s, she experimented with enclosing the interiors of her vessels, leaving only a small opening for gases to escape during firing. She frequently inserted a small clay marble to “rattle” inside, incorporating an auditory experience. By sealing these forms, Takaezu shifted her work from functional pottery to sculpture. Her expressive glazing techniques included brushing, dipping, and pouring, creating dynamic surfaces in colors inspired by nature and atmospheric hues inspired by Hawaiian landscapes.

Born in Hawaii to Japanese immigrant parents, Takaezu studied under influential ceramicists Claude Horan and Maija Grotell before establishing herself as both an artist and educator. She taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Princeton University while maintaining a dedicated studio practice in New Jersey. Takaezu’s work has been widely exhibited in the United States and Japan, with notable solo shows at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and a retrospective at the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto. Her pieces are housed in major institutions like The Met, LACMA, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Over her lifetime, Takaezu earned numerous accolades, including grants from the Tiffany Foundation and NEA, along with honorary degrees from esteemed institutions.

Condition

- wear; crazing; surface irregularities.

Dimensions

• Please note, if the warehouse transfer to Cincinnati option is selected by the winning bidder, the item will be available in Cincinnati for pickup after three business days after payment has been finalized.

Item #

ITMGP05624