PORCELAIN SAKE BOTTLE

Kyoto potter Miyanaga took the name Tozan III in 1999 from his father, Miyanaga Tozan II (1918-1979), a master of glaze techniques. The artist's grandfather, Tozan I (1868-1941), is known for art-nouveau style ceramics. Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883-1959) worked with Miyanaga's grandfather at the Tozan kiln in 1924 and there met another pioneer of modern ceramics, Arakawa Toyozo (1894-1985). Miyanaga Tozan III studied with Yagi Kazuo (the father of Yagi Akira [see lot 197]), and with Tsuji Shindo (1910-1981) at Kyoto Art University where he studied sculpture from 1954-58. Three years of study at the Art Students League in New York followed. His long exhibition history in Japan includes competitive group shows and solo exhibitions. and solo shows.

Given the Rikichi signature on this bottle, we may date the piece prior to 1999 and the potter's name change.