Amdouni Bonsai Pot - Tsuru-Kame

A round shohin sized pot, with magnificent relief carving to the body, and refined mostly unglazed finish.

This graceful pot has a refined classical form, with thin walls and soft curves. The pot sits on sculpted feet and is decorated with wonderful relief carvings. A crane (Tsuru) bird surveys the seas, just above the crest of powerful breaking wave. Directly below, a 10,000 year old (minogami) turtle (Kame) paddles in calmer waters. The wave is painted in ruri blue glaze and another great touch is that this wave flow continues under the pot, around a foot. The pot is mostly unglazed with a smooth polished finish. The detail of the bird plumage and turtle shell & plumage are a delight!

... In Japanese mythology, the crane and tortoise are synonymous to yin & yang: opposing, yet interconnected forces. Turtles symbolise longevity. As you can see in the carving, a coat of algae still clings to the turtle’s tail owing to an ancient legend. Minogamé was a turtle who lived for 10,000 years. A heavy tangle of seaweed and algae attached itself to his shell, and he dragged around for all of his life. The cranes however fly freely in the sky. They love their partner for all of their life, and so this combination of Tsuru-Kame represents good-luck. Long life and love.

External measurements: 12.3cm (l) x 7cm (h)

Made by Sami Amdouni (France).