Brazier (hibachi) with grass decoration,

ca. 1949–59

Takaezu met Rosanjin on her 1955–56 trip to Japan to learn Japanese pottery techniques. Rosanjin, a respected calligrapher, printmaker, ceramicist, and gourmet restaurateur, began designing and decorating pieces inspired by antique Japanese ceramics for his popular Tokyo restaurant. His openness to experimentation, and his synthesis of the culinary and ceramic arts, likely resonated with Takaezu, who later stated, “In my life I see no difference between making pots, cooking, and growing vegetables. They are all so related.” This wheel-thrown brazier, a type of hibachi traditionally made of either ceramic or a hollow log, is an example of Rosanjin’s interpretation of yellow Seto ware. Popularized in the sixteenth century, when it was first used to make objects for the Japanese tea ceremony, Seto ware is made from white clay glazed with ash to create a yellow tint.