Japanese Bonsai Pots Blog

Sano Daisuke was born in 1919, and died in 2000. He began painting small bowls in 1949, and his works are varied, numerous, and unique. For more than a decade, the pots he painted were made by Konno Shinzan, and you’ll often see collaborative works with other members of his family: Horie Bikoh, Ichitaro, and Munakata Isso. Many of his works are unsigned, and some unstamped by the potter, so a good eye is often needed to recognize a Daisuke painting!
His style is often a little more rustic than some of the other painters I’ve featured on the blog, and are also more numerous, consequently costing a bit less. They often feature animals, plants, and landscape scenes. Enjoy this selection of Daisuke’s work!

A really nicely detailed round landscape. The pot is Shinzan, and very well made.

Something completely different, showing the variability of Daisuke paintings. This looks to be overglaze painting. Considering the blockiness of the colors, the painting has good depth and doesn’t look as cartoonish as it might otherwise.

A small rectangle with what look to be chrysanthemums in an almost arabesque design. The painting resembles a watercolor with its softness.

An unglazed painting, on tan clay. I really like that the second figure clothed in yellow pops out.

A blocky 5-color rectangle landscape. If you’ve been following all the posts on painters of bonsai pottery, you know by now how common a motif this is: shoreline forest to one side and boat center, with negative space stretching across the opposing side across the water.

Another rectangle landscape with great patina. I love the focus on the center figure, how the forest seems to open up around the figure.

A soft rounded rectangle with a spartan winter scene, photo courtesy of Yorozuen. I really love the small details in the piece, and the sparing use of color. Could almost serve as a white pot.

Animal painting in Red. Excellent detail! Very typical of Daisuke animal paintings.

Another overglaze enamel piece with greens and leaf designs, again, very reminiscient of Kutani style.

Another landscape scene. Really nice detail to the trees on the left.

And we’ll finish up with a highly detailed 5-color rectangle. Note that the landscape subject is very similar to the blue overglaze piece above, though without the pine, the eye is drawn more to the figure crossing the bridge. I like the softness to the painting.

Daisuke artist mark, on right, and Konno Shinzan stamp, left.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing a small selection of the work of Sano Daisuke. Up next Shunka Shozan!

So, moving on from the Shenanigans of yesterday….
I posted about the work of Fujikake Yuzan last week, but felt this piece deserved a post all to itself. Currently, it’s for sale. I believe it will be very very expensive. Perhaps triple what a normal Yuzan of this size costs, 100-120,000¥.

With original box and fabric.

Atop box. Pot measures just over 15 cm, a perfect size for standard size Shohin. The detail is exceptional, very fine brushwork. The pot is level and the lines are clean. I love the slanting pine and the detail to the classical house.

The other three sides. All are equally detailed, and the landscape wraps around the full circumference of the pot, with no breaks.
One thing to note about most Fujikake Yuzan pots is the directionality. Unlike pieces from some painters, Yuzan pots are dual function. The negative space in a painted pot defines the directionality. Note that the landscape in the photo atop the box has negative space in the top right, so would be suited for a tree with movement in the same direction. The opposite side has negative space on the left, suited for a tree with movement opposite the other. A very important thing to consider when picking out painted pots!

One of the coolest things about this pot to me. On the carved underside are two extraordinarily detailed opposing dragons. Too freaking awesome!

Finally, the sign and seal on the inside of the pot. This is unusual in itself, but the fact that there are additional characters to the signature and two figures painted to each side is extra special.
This pot by Fujikake Yuzan, represents, I believe, his best work. Carving detail, underside and signature figures, and an excellent dual use landscape….who could ask for more?