SET OF TWO CLEAR-GLAZED PORCELAIN FACETED SAKE FLASKS AND FIVE CUPS

Born to a family of means in Kyoto that ran a dry goods store for eight generations, Ueda, rather than joining the family business, studied ceramics with his father's blessing. He worked with two of the most well-known potters of his time, Kawai Kanjiro (1894-1978), with whom he discussed philosophy rather than technique, and Hamada Shoji (1890-1966) (see lots 97, 106, 107). In 1943 Ueda traveled through Korea with Hamada and a folk art research group. The sake set offered here is based on Choson-period Korean white porcelain. Ueda's success as a potter was assured in 1948 when Yanagi Soetsu (1869-1961) bought one of his porcelains for the Japan Folk Art Museum (Nihon Mingeikan) in Tokyo.