Photo by Noda Kōichi. Courtesy of the artist.
Born 1948, Kyoto, Japan
Initially a painter, Maeda turned to clay and became a graduate student under two Living National Treasures, Fujimoto Yoshimichi (Nōdō) (1919-92) and Tamura Kōichi (1918-87) at Tokyo University of the Arts.
Departing from tradition, he thickly applies matte Western overglaze enamels in captivating combinations of colorful and subdued tonalities to his functional porcelain vessels, achieving a uniquely painterly surface. Drawing inspiration from a broad variety of sources, from owls to linear textiles, Maeda is celebrated for both his enticing pictorial and abstract motifs. Maeda specializes in iro-e kinginsai (painted color decoration with gold and silver) technique, which was originally developed in Song China (10-12th centuries CE) and then imported to Japan in the 17th century. After the bisque firing, the ware is re-fired multiple times with a variety of color glazes. Lastly, gold and/or silver are applied and the vessel is fired again at an even lower temperature. Maeda’s ceramics are wildly popular in Japan and are collected both in the US and Europe.
Box with cross-hatched patterning and silver overglaze with matching cover
2021
Glazed porcelain
4 5/8 x 5 in.
SOLD
Black and white ovoid vase with striped and cross-hatched patterning
2019
Glazed porcelain
11 3/4 x 8 5/8 in.
SOLD
Tapered tiered bowl with black and silver-glazed crisscrossed pattern
2015
Glazed porcelain
6 3/4 x 15 3/4 in.
Inv# 9166
SOLD
Faceted vessel with triple tiered rows decorated triangular patterning
2008
Glazed porcelain
7 x 12 1/2 x 11 3/8 in.
Inv# 9167
SOLD
Vessel with geometric patterning
2006
Polychrome overglaze enameled porcelain
10 3/4 x 7 1/4 in.
Inv# 10876
SOLD
Large, hexagonal foliated bowl with black bird pattern set against a lemon yellow ground
1999
Porcelain with polychrome under- and over-glazing
4 1/2 x 16 1/2 x 16 in.
SOLD
Iro-e (overglaze-enameled) incense burner with pine tree and half-moon patterning
ca. 1994
Glazed porcelain
5 1/2 x 3 3/4 in.
SOLD
Iro-e teabowl
ca. 1990
Glazed porcelain
2 3/4 x 4 in.
Inv# 10958
SOLD
Cylindrical vase with scalloped mouth and bird-and-oak leaf patterning
ca. 1989
Glazed porcelain
7 x 4 1/2 in.
SOLD
Large foliated bowl decorated with two birds against silver background with cactus patterning in silver
ca. 1988
Porcelain with polychrome under- and over-glazing
5 x 16 1/2 x 16 1/2 in.
SOLD
Waterjar with bird, abstract and linear patterns
1982
Polychrome overglaze enamel porcelain
5 1/4 x 6 1/2 in.
Inv# 10875
SOLD
Scalloped, low-sided plate with geometrical oak leaf designs and owls on the exterior
1980
Glazed stoneware
2 3/4 x 14 1/8 x 13 in.
SOLD
