HAYASHI TOJAKU 林陶雀 – Tojaku 陶雀 – Hayashi Tadashi 林忠 – 6.01cm Not for Sale! Rectangular 長方形 – Horse Motif 馬文 – Unglazed 無釉

Personal Collection: Not for Sale! 
But if you really want it, ping me!

Product Details / 鉢の詳細

Region / 産地: Kansai 関西 – Kyoto/Osaka tradition 京都・大阪
Potter / 作家: Hayashi Tojaku 林陶雀
Art Name / 陶号: Tojaku 陶雀
Personal Name / 本名: Hayashi Tadashi 林忠
Born / 生年: 1935, Kyoto 京都
Form / 形状: Rectangular 長方形鉢
Decoration / 意匠: Carved Horse Motif 馬文・馬彫刻
Finish / 仕上げ: Unglazed 無釉
Marking / 陶印: Impressed square Tojaku seal 「陶雀」角印

Collection Status: In my private collection, but you are welcome to make me an offer.

Description / 商品説明

An exceptionally small and characterful artisan-made Japanese bonsai pot by Hayashi Tojaku 林陶雀, art name 陶雀, one of the pioneering figures in the development of modern mame and shohin pots（豆鉢・小品鉢） in the Kansai region.

At only 6.01cm, this miniature rectangular vessel （長方形鉢） demonstrates Tojaku's ability to incorporate remarkably expressive sculptural detail into an extremely compact form.

The principal decoration consists of finely worked horse motifs（馬文） executed in relief （浮彫・彫刻）. One face depicts a horse in animated movement, conveying energy and vitality, while the opposing composition presents a calmer standing horse accompanied by the character 「午」, the zodiac sign of the Horse（午・うま）.

The contrast between these two representations gives this tiny vessel considerable personality: 動 (do – movement) and 静 (sei – stillness) are expressed within opposing faces of the same pot, creating a particularly appealing sense of narrative despite its miniature scale.

The pot is finished unglazed（無釉）, allowing the natural clay surface （土肌） and the crisp sculptural modelling to remain the principal visual elements. Its subdued earthy surface gives the vessel an attractive 土味 (tsuchi-aji) and understated 渋み (shibumi), allowing the carved horses to provide the decorative focus.

At this diminutive scale, the relationship between vessel, relief decoration and functional construction is particularly impressive. The pot retains the qualities of a genuine bonsai container while simultaneously functioning as a miniature ceramic artwork （工芸品）.

With external dimensions of just 6.01 × 4.3 × 2.8cm, it is particularly appropriate for mame bonsai（豆盆栽）, very small shohin compositions, or as a collectable display piece alongside other Japanese miniature ceramics.

The underside carries Tojaku's impressed square maker's seal 「陶雀」角印, neatly positioned within a recessed square cartouche. This impressed 陶印 provides the identifying maker's mark for the piece.

The combination of minute scale, expressive 馬文, sculptural 浮彫, natural 土肌 and the impressed 陶雀印 captures the individuality for which Tojaku's small-format work is particularly appreciated.

Dimensions / 寸法

External Dimensions / 外寸: 6.01 × 4.3 × 2.8cm

Condition / 状態

Excellent vintage condition / 非常に良好なヴィンテージコンディション

About the Potter / 作家について

Hayashi Tojaku 林陶雀, art name Tojaku 陶雀, personal name Hayashi Tadashi 林忠, was born in Kyoto in 1935 and later became closely associated with Osaka and the Kansai ceramic community. Japanese specialist literature identifies him as one of the pioneers of modern small-pot making in Kansai（関西における現代小鉢づくりの先駆者の一人）.

Before concentrating on bonsai ceramics, Tojaku achieved success in cast-metal and applied craftwork（鋳造工芸） in Osaka. Influenced by his elder brother Hayashi Yoshiaki, who was involved professionally with shohin bonsai, Tojaku began teaching himself bonsai-pot making around 1965 and devoted himself seriously to the production of small pots from approximately 1970.

His earlier experience in casting and applied craftwork became particularly important to his ceramic identity. Japanese specialist sources specifically identify his fine detailed sculptural work（細工物） as one of his characteristic strengths, making the miniature relief work on this horse pot particularly representative of his artistic background.

Tojaku was by no means restricted to unglazed pottery. His known body of work includes restrained 泥物 (doro-mono), 辰砂釉 (shinsha-yu – copper-red/cinnabar glaze), 染付 (sometsuke – underglaze blue), 色絵 (iro-e – polychrome decoration) and highly detailed sculptural pieces. His influence extended to numerous small-pot makers in the Kansai region.

Specialist bonsai-pot references now describe Tojaku as deceased, although I have not found a sufficiently authoritative Japanese record establishing an exact year of death. For that reason, I would describe him as the late Hayashi Tojaku but would not publish a death year.

Collector's Note / コレクターズノート

This diminutive 6.01cm 馬文長方形鉢 is particularly representative of an important aspect of the late Hayashi Tojaku's work: his ability to transfer the precision learned through 鋳造工芸 (cast-metal craftsmanship) into extraordinarily small ceramic forms.

The finely modelled horses （馬彫刻・浮彫）, including the zodiac character 「午」, transform what could have been a simple miniature rectangular pot into an expressive piece of ceramic sculpture. At barely six centimetres across, achieving this degree of recognisable decoration while retaining the proportions and functionality of a bonsai container demonstrates the specialised craftsmanship associated with Tojaku's 豆鉢・小品鉢.

The impressed square 「陶雀」角印 provides an important identifying feature, while the natural unglazed 土肌, compact proportions and detailed sculptural work embody the combination of 実用 (jitsuyo – utility) and 芸術性 (geijutsusei – artistry) for which his miniature pots became known.

As one of the pioneers of modern Kansai small-pot culture, Tojaku influenced a subsequent generation of miniature-pot makers; Japanese sources note that numerous Kansai artists were influenced by his work.

For the collector, this is therefore considerably more than simply a tiny bonsai container. Its minute 6.01cm scale, horse and zodiac imagery, sculptural workmanship, unglazed clay and clearly impressed 陶雀 seal combine in a highly individual example of the miniature ceramic tradition that Hayashi Tojaku helped establish in modern Japanese bonsai culture.