Nabeshima Ware: Dish with Court Carriage beneath a Cherry Tree, 1770-1800
Nabeshima Ware: Dish with Court Carriage beneath a Cherry Tree, 1770-1800

Antique Japanese Art

 Welcome to our website for Japanese art. We would like to invite you to discover our collection of fine antique works of art, ranging from screen paintings and hanging scroll to traditional ceramics, elegant lacquer works, exceptional sculptures and intricately woven bamboo flower baskets. All of our objects are unique masterpieces carefully selected by the gallerist and art historian Dr. Fabian Alexander Kommoss for their historical significance and outstanding quality. Galerie Kommoss is a leading gallery for fine Japanese art in Europe.



Why Japanese Art?

Refined elegance and astonishing craftsmanship on one side, and rough, coarse-looking ceramics that seem to have been created by nature itself on the other, the wide spectrum of Japanese art is fascinating and never monotonous. In fact, the opposite is true: Whether you look at the more popular and immediately appealing images of a Hokusai, the serene beauty of Japanese Buddhist sculpture, or the often complex aesthetic programs of traditional tea culture, the deeper you delve into the complex images, often subtly imbued with metaphorical meaning or humor, the more exciting it gets. What makes Japanese art so attractive to us is its pervasive characteristic of understanding the natural world as a source of spiritual insight and an instructive mirror of human emotion.



Special Exhibition "Mizusashi"

A Mizusashi is a traditional, lidded vessel created to contain the fresh, cold water used in the Japanese tea ceremony. A Mizusashi therefore plays a central role by holding one of the two main ingredients used in the preparation of tea. Bringing together a select range of unique Japanese water vessels from the early 17th century to contemporary traditional pieces by some of the greatest pottery masters, Galerie Kommoss' next special exhibition explores the fascinating world of fresh water vessels and their deep connection to the tea ceremony as a source of inspiration and cultural heritage in Japan.




Karatsu Tea Bowl with Spout, 18./19. Century

Object of the Month

 

Karatsu ware is characterized by a simple yet profound aesthetic. Originally created for everyday use, pieces often feature simple natural glazes and understated decorations that reflect the wabi-sabi philosophy of beauty in imperfection. Common glazes used in Karatsu ceramics include ash glaze and iron underglaze, which contribute to their earthy and subtle tones.

 

This unusual shoe-shaped (kutsu-gata) tea bowl displays both of the distinctive features of the Karatsu style. Its beautifully distorted shape with softly curved rims exemplifies the beauty of simplicity, while the spout (kata-kuchi) plays with the feature of Karatsu ware once created for common households. The playfulness of this tea bowl lies in the tension between being a highly prized tea ceremony item and a simple kitchen utensil.

 



Mochizuki Gyokkei 望月玉渓 (1874-1938): Pair of Six-panel Screens with Cranes, Meiji period, 1906, each H 173,5 x W 366,0 cm
Mochizuki Gyokkei 望月玉渓 (1874-1938): Pair of Six-panel Screens with Cranes, Meiji period, 1906, each H 173,5 x W 366,0 cm