Modern Japanese Ceramics Pottery Contemporary

By Appointment is best. You might get lucky just popping by, but a great deal of the month I am out visiting artists or scouring up new items, so days in the gallery are limited.

Kitaoji Rosanjin Happa-Zara Pottery Leaf-Plate Set


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Directory: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Stoneware: Pre 1960: Item # 1403328

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Modern Japanese Ceramics
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23 Murasakino Monzen-cho, Kita-ward Kyoto 603-8216
075-201-3497
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Leaf images in various seasonal shades decorate the raw earth of these expertly crafted dishes by legendary artist Kitaoji Rosanjin, the set enclosed in a double box, the inner box the original age darkened kiri-wood box signed by Rosanjin, the outer box later covered in black lacquer showing the esteem for which both this dish set and box were afforded. On bottom is the star mark, indicating these were made for use in his restaurant. Each dish is roughly 18.8 cm (7-1/2 inches) diameter and in overall excellent condition. An abrasion in the edge of one dish is pre-firing (see last photo). For nearly identical plates see Kitaoji Rosanjin Ten (Jap. 1988).
Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883-1959) They say adversity is the mother of invention, and Rosanjin can be said to epitomize that expression. Born during the tumultuous first half of the Meiji period in the cultural center of Kyoto, he was adopted at age six by a woodblock carver. He showed an early genius for calligraphy, and began his early manhood as a carver of seals and carver/painter of shop signs after a brief apprenticeship to a pharmacy. He also taught calligraphy and bought and sold antiques during these early years. In 1921 he founded what would become the impetus for his life’s work, his first restaurant, the Bishoku club, and followed in 1925 with a restaurant in Tokyo called the Hoshigaoka. Rosanjin began working in ceramics to replace the collection of dishes that was destroyed in the 1923 Kanto Earthquake. He was largely a self taught artist with a diverse range, beginning with a kiln on his rented property .in Kamakura, and later paying visits for brief apprenticeships to many of the days top artists. He retired to work exclusively on the arts in 1936. Magazine editor, lacquer artist, metal-working and finally store owner in Tokyo’s Ginza, Rosanjin was everywhere at once. He was displayed at the museum of Modern Art in New York in 1954, a rare honor indeed for living artist. Like his contemporary, Kawai Kanjiro, Rosanjin was offered the title of Living National Treasure in 1955 for his work in Oribe pottery, but refused the offer.