Lid for a Water Container with Shell and Seaweed

Yohei IV chose an aquatic theme for this mizusashi . He applied clay to the surface and molded the shape of a large conch on one side and, on the other, a clam and a scallop. The finer details he incised into the surface of his low-relief shapes. He then painted seaweed as though it were coming out from behind the sea creatures, and he further set off the animals using a masking technique with a gradated blue surround. Finally, he applied a translucent blue glaze, identified on the box as mizusai , over the entire body of the vessel. The resulting effect is that one imagines having descended through the water to the ocean floor.