This beautiful vase with Fuji and cherry blossoms is decorated with the Itchin and Cochin technique. Cochin glaze is characterized by its glass-like luster and transparency. It is also less viscous than overglaze paints, making it difficult to express colors as a picture. Therefore, the "itching" technique, in which the clay is heaped up like lines, is used to create different colors.
The process is complex and requires a skilled artisan. Each color is fired at a different temperature, so it is fired two or three times. The process must be carefully executed because of the strain on the clay.
The works produced by this complex and difficult technique are beautifully finished with extreme colors and transparency that are hard to believe that they are ceramics. Among the many techniques used in ceramics, this technique is particularly symbolic of color.
