Firing the Vessel

A record of Japanese ceramics and the people who fired them. From Jōmon earthenware to Edo overglaze enamels, on the same terms. Where it is, when it was made, what it is made of.

This English edition carries the factual record only. Titles follow the holding institution where one is given; otherwise a conventional English rendering is used. The Japanese pages carry the descriptive text.

Pick-ups

Basin, white porcelain with carved lotus design

Maker unknown

Jar for Tea Leaves with the Moon and Plum Blossoms

Nonomura Ninsei

Jar with human-figure decoration, Tokoshinai

Maker unknown

Head of a dogū from the Shidanai site

Maker unknown

Large Ido tea bowl, named Kizaemon

Maker unknown

Makers 96 of 9

Dōnyū (Raku Kichizaemon III)道入（三代樂吉左衛門） Edo period　1599–1656 7 works

Nonomura Ninsei野々村仁清 Edo period　17th century (dates unknown) 21 works

Seifū Yohei III清風与平（三代） Modern era　d. 1914 1 work

Miyagawa Kōzan I宮川香山（初代） Modern era　1842–1916 5 works

Aoki Mokubei青木木米 Edo period　1767–1833 4 works

Ogata Kōrin尾形光琳 Edo period　1658–1716 5 works

See all makers (9)

By periodJōmon to the modern era, with pieces from China and Korea, 279 works

Azuchi–Momoyama period38

Edo period95

Modern era6

Tang (China)5

Five Dynasties (China)1

Northern Song (China)9

Jin (China)1

Southern Song (China)24

Photographs wanted (160) — works whose location and date are known, but for which no freely usable photograph has been found.

This is an alpha. 279 works, 9 makers, 25 prefectures, Jōmon to the modern era, with pieces from China and Korea. Published while it is still being built, and what is not known has been left visible: 160 works have no photograph. Rather than leaving those fields blank, the archive says that the record is missing. If you notice anything, please write to info@utsuwawoyaku.org.