Page 42 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

22 . INTRODUCTION

Explanatory Notes
A few terms are used in this catalogue which require an explanation. In
designating the names of objects English names have been used in every
case, with one exception. This is a vessel to hold cold water, in which a
Japanese first rinses his winecup before proffering it to a guest with whom
he wishes to drink. The vessel is known as a haisen, and as there is no
English equivalent, either of vessel or ceremony, the name " haisen " will
be retained. The Japanese have a kind of bowl with a slight spout on the
rim. This is generally used for holding sauce, and is known as katakuchi
(side mouth). The term " beaker " is used for this form of vessel. As
nearly all the Japanese pottery is crazed or crackled, this word will not be
repeated in the descriptions unless the crackle is very coarse, or very fine,
or has some peculiarity. The absence of crackle will be mentioned when
necessary. As the larger number of tea-jars have a mark on the bottom
(made by the cord in separating the object from the wheel) known as a
thread-mark, and as this mark is generally a right-handed thread-mark,
except in the Satsuma tea-jars and some others, this feature will be under-
stood as right-handed unless otherwise mentioned. Transparent glaze is
one that gives the same coloring to the clay that water might give. The
Japanese speak of this glaze as water glaze. The word Kochi is not used
in the catalogue, though it is a very common term with the Japanese. Red,
yellow, green, and purple glazes, either separate or intermixed, as well as a
rough decoration in red and green on a white ground, are called by the
generic name of Kochi, These kinds are supposed to be derived from
Cochin China or in imitation of Cochin China pottery. An opportunity
was afforded me of examining a large collection of pottery near the town of
Cholon in Anam. The pottery had been brought from Cochin China. In
the entire collection I saw no suggestion in the glaze or decoration at all
resembling what the Japanese know as Kochi ; on the other hand I did see
in a town north of Canton pottery glazes which might very well have been
the origin of the Japanese Kochi.
In the arrangement of the pottery in the cases a concession has been
made to the nature of this Institution, which is first of all a Museum of
Fine Arts. A compromise has therefore been effected by which the
unique and more beautiful objects of a family of potters have been arranged
" on the line," so to speak. Had this not been done, the work of some of
the greatest potters would have come either on the lowest or on the
highest shelves, where the objects could not have been seen to advantage.