13cn high x 5cm
 
How does a ceramic artist capture verticality's essence—that reaching upward toward light that defines both trees and human aspiration? This tall cylindrical vessel by Masami Kobayashi embodies precisely that quality, its elongated form creating visual movement from warm ochre at the crown through olive mid-tones to rich earth at the base, silver-white branches ascending the surface like growth patterns made permanent.
The form demonstrates Kobayashi's sophisticated understanding of proportion and visual weight. The cylinder curves gently inward toward the rim, creating subtle dynamism within an otherwise straight profile. This isn't industrial uniformity but organic architecture—the slight irregularities and surface undulations prove hand-building rather than mechanical production. The proportions suggest columnar natural forms: bamboo stalks, tree trunks, geological strata revealed in cliff faces.
The glaze composition moves through a carefully orchestrated colour journey. Warm ochre and sandy yellows dominate the upper reaches, transitioning through olive greens in the middle register before settling into deeper earth tones toward the foot. These aren't arbitrary colour choices but deliberate evocation of landscape—horizon lines where sky meets land, the vertical zonation visible in mountain geology, the colour stratification found in ancient sedimentary deposits. Achieving such controlled gradation requires exceptional technical mastery: understanding how different metallic oxides flux and flow during firing, how gravity affects molten glaze movement, how reduction and oxidation atmospheres transform colour.
The mishima-inspired tree branch patterns ascending the vessel's length represent Kobayashi's signature innovation. Delicate silver-white lines trace organic trajectories across the surface, their placement creating visual rhythm that guides the eye upward. The artist incises these patterns into leather-hard clay at precisely the right moisture content—too wet and the lines blur; too dry and the clay chips. After filling with metallic slip and bisque firing, the surface undergoes careful scraping to reveal pattern definition. The metallic compounds catch light dynamically, creating subtle shifts in appearance as viewing angle and ambient light change.
What distinguishes this particular piece is the interplay between vertical form and ascending pattern—both vessel shape and surface decoration reinforce upward movement, creating unified composition where form and decoration speak the same visual language. This isn't decoration applied arbitrarily to finished form but integrated design where every element serves the whole.
Kobayashi's extensive exhibition history and major prize collection—including the 1982 International Ceramic Exhibition Gold Prize and 2001 Barcelona Batlló House Grand Prize—establish unquestionable credentials. His work appears in private collections throughout Japan and increasingly in European holdings as Western appreciation for contemporary Japanese ceramics expands beyond previously dominant names.
For contemporary European interiors, this tall form offers particular versatility. Its vertical emphasis works beautifully in spaces with high ceilings, drawing the eye upward and emphasising architectural volume. Position it on a low console or floor plinth, and it becomes sculptural anchor. Place it among books on tall shelving, and it provides textural and chromatic contrast to linear spines and rectangular volumes.
The piece functions superbly whether deployed with single tall stems—imagine dried grasses or minimalist branches—or displayed empty as pure sculpture. The narrow opening and tall proportions naturally suggest vertical arrangements, though the artistic merit alone justifies display unfilled.
Condition remains excellent: no chips, cracks, or restoration. The inlay work retains crisp definition throughout, and the glaze surface shows no wear or handling damage. The foot ring sits flat and stable, ensuring secure display.