We recently added two interesting works of Japanese blue and white porcelain by Makuzu Kozan to our website, so we thought this was an opportune (and long overdue) moment to shine a light on the famous Japanese Imperial ceramicist.
(As always with our blog, you can click on any image for a closer look at the relevant portion.)
Born in Kyoto in 1842 and originally named Miyagama Toranosuke, Makuzu Kozan came from a long line of master potters who were known throughout Japan for making fine tea pots.
Toranosuke trained in bunjinga (an intellectual school of Japanese painting that flourished during the Edo period) and he brought this artistic flair to the family business. He took over the business from his father at the age of 18 and adopted the name Makuzu Kozan.
Ten years later in 1870, he moved the workshops to the recently opened “Treaty Port 2 of Yokohama”. Entrepreneur Makuzu Kozan saw an opportunity to base a steadily growing business on the gateway to international trade.
The first few years in Yokohama were difficult as there was no historical or established ceramic or craft tradition in the area, but Makuzu Kozan persevered and eventually achieved success in business.
A wonderful illustration of the Makuzu Kozan Studio in Yokohama {ref: Yokohama Douban Sho No.92}
During the 1860s and 1870s, we would say, there was a latent tendency among potters to make new Satsuma-ware appear old and distressed in order to sell it as antiques and there is evidence to suggest that Makuzu Kozan participated in this trade for some time in order to keep the company afloat during the challenging early years in Yokohama.
Once the business became more established, Makuzu Kozan was able to produce more artistic goods and as Japan opened more doors to international trade, he began to exhibit at fairs and exhibitions.
The early works are highly distinctive often using three-dimensional elements to impressive and great effect. This technique is known as “Takaukibori” and allows complex designs to be produced at relatively low cost compared to earlier Satsuma techniques.
This early sculptural work was unapologetically Japanese in style and often took inspiration from Japanese mythology featuring intricate, applied sculptures of gods, oni, birds, bears, cats, crabs, sakura and wisteria, for example.
Many of these pieces were shown at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876 and caused a real stir by drawing attention to Japanese ceramics in the world.
Makuzu Kozan also expanded to non-Satsuma ceramics and many of these pieces were shown at the Tokyo Exposition a year later in 1877. It was here that Emperor Meiji famously touched one of the vases that brought Makuzu Kozan national recognition and fame,
As he entered the 1890s, Makuzu Kozan’s works continued to evolve as he began to experiment with different glazes, often combining multiple underglazes on a single piece. As he mastered these new techniques, these works became more sophisticated.
He moved away from the “busy” three-dimensional elements of his earlier work, perhaps inspired by Western tastes. However, these new flatter, simpler pieces retained the signature “Kozan” flare and received critical acclaim.
In his later years, Makuzu Kozan suffered from health and financial problems, but his works continued to be celebrated with a vase displayed at the Japan–British Exhibition of 1910 described as “a perfect piece artistically and technically”.
There is no doubt that Makuzu Kozan’s works were widely influenced by Western notions of Japanese art and design and these trademark flourishes can still be seen in Japanese art today.
A portrait of Makuzu Kozan {Reference: 1903 by Kinkodo Shōseki Kabushiki Kaisha, titled “Biographies of the Jurors of the 5th National Industrial Exhibition, Part 1”}
Makuzu Kozon was appointed an artist in the Imperial Household in 1896, becoming only the second artist in the field of ceramics to earn this recognition. The appointment recognized his role as a leading, internationally acclaimed potter of the Meiji era. His works have won him awards at 51 exhibitions, including the World’s Fair and the National Industrial Exposition, and to this day, Makuzu Kozan’s pieces are highly collectible and sought after.
If you believe you can have a piece of Makuzu Kozan, please feel free contact us And we will be happy to offer free Evaluation.
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