Wall Mask in Glazed Raku Ceramic in Black and White with a Stylised Face, Modernist Work, Circa 1970

This wall plaque in raku ceramic depicts an extremely stylised face: against a milky white glazed ground, run through with the crackles and black smoke characteristic of raku firing, stand out a fluted black band at the top, a brow ridge and a T-shaped nose, also black, ending in an arrow heightened with gilt glaze, and two sketched square eyes. A monogram is incised at the lower right, and a hanging hole is provided at the top. This primitivist writing, between tribal mask and geometric abstraction, belongs to the current of artist ceramics of the 1970s, which rediscovered the Japanese raku technique and its random smoking effects to create unique pieces of strong presence. Condition report: Good general condition. Crackled glaze characteristic of the raku technique, with no notable visible damage. A singular wall piece, which will dialogue equally well with tribal art and with a contemporary décor.