Page 26 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

6 INTRODUCTION

here mistakes will be made, as the work of some professionals is as bad as
that of the amateur, and conversely, though rarely, the work of the ama-
teur is as good as that of the professionals.

Pottery-Making

The prehistoric pottery of Japan was modeled by hand, and to-day, in
various parts of the empire, this ancient art is continued in its prehistoric
form. There are many potters in Japan who are still at work using only
the hand in making bowls, delicate teapots, and dishes of various kinds.
The pottery vessels used as offerings at Shinto shrines are usually made
without the use of the wheel and are unglazed.
The potter's wheel, erroneously attributed to Gyogi Bosatsu, was brought
to Japan from Korea. The first wheel was probably the kick-wheel used
in Satsuma and other southern provinces. The common form of potter's
wheel consists of a wooden disk fifteen to eighteen inches in diameter and
three inches thick. This is fastened to a hollow axis fourteen or more
inches in length ; a spindle with pointed end rises firmly from the ground,
and on this the wheel rests, the spindle passing up through the hollow axis,
and a porcelain saucer or cup being inserted in the wheel to lessen friction
as it rests on the spindle. The wheel itself is on a level with the floor, and
the potter, sitting in the usual Japanese position, bends over the wheel,
which he revolves by inserting a slender stick in a shallow hole or depres-
sion near the periphery of the wheel. With a few vigorous motions of his
arm the wheel is set in rapid motion, then, with his elbows braced against
his knees, the whole body at rest, he has the steadiest command of the clay
he is to turn. As the wheel slackens in motion he again sets it twirling.
The wonderful delicacy of the work of the Japanese potter, as shown in
certain graceful wine-bottles, and marvelously thin and symmetrical bowls,
must be accounted for by the potter's attitude and the resultant steadiness
while throwing.
Sir Ernest Satow, in his Korean Potters in Satsuma {Proc. Asia. Soc. of
Japan, i8y8), says that these potters use wheels of different sizes. These
are formed of two wooden disks connected by four bars of wood. A spindle '
rising from a square pit passes through a hole in the lower disk, and upon
its pointed end the upper disk rests, a porcelain cup forming the bearing,
as already mentioned. In the smallest of these wheels the upper disk is
fifteen inches in diameter, while the lower one has a diameter of eighteen
inches. The potter sits on the edge of the pit and pushes or kicks the
lower wheel with his left foot, the wheels being far enough apart to allow