Page 27 - Japanese marks and seals on pottery, paper and other objects.

PREFACE. Vll

The collection of marks and seals upon pottery is

the most mimerous and complete, for this branch of
indtistry was pursued in all parts of the empire, and

the wares were made for sale, and for the use of rich
and poor alike. Under these circumstances, it was

natural for the potters to mark their productions ; but
it was otherwise with the rarer eforts in illufninated

books, lacquer ware, and the exquisite cloisonnd enamels
upon copper, which were produced by artists in the
service of the nobles for the use of their patrons. Stich

works, especially those of the highest beauty, were
seldom signed by the workman, who would naturally

sink his own individuality in that of his prince.
A careful study of the marks in general, and of

those upon pottery in particular, leads one to the con-
clusion that Japanese art is of more modern growth
than is generally supposed.

From the early part of the fourteenth century the
country was disttirbed by incessant civil wars, which,

with short intervals of peace, continued zmtil the begin-
ning of the seventeenth century, when the Tokugawa

Shbgunate was founded, and the country became com-
paratively settled, but it was not until the time of the
third Shogun, 162J to idqg A.D., that order was

finnly established, and the nation turned its thoughts

to peaceful arts. All the information furnished by
the marks goes to prove that the works produced
prior to this period were of a rude and inartistic