Page 88 - Edo: Art in Japan, 1615–1868

25 From the style of the paintings, 26
Ogata Kórin (1658-1716) and the dishes can be tentatively dated Ogata Kórin (1658-1716) and
Ogata Kenzan (1663 -1743) about 1710. Ogata Kenzan (1663 -1743)
Square dish with crane design Square dish with plum tree design
The poem on the interior of this dish,
c. 1710 written in Chinese, reads "Looking c. 1710
Stoneware and underglaze upward, it does not aspire to reach Stoneware with underglaze iron oxide
iron oxide heaven with a single piercing cry, it Width 22 (8 s/s)
3
Width 22.2 (8 / 4) wants to startle one into enlighten- Fujita Museum of Art, Osaka
Fujita Museum of Art, Osaka ment" (translated by Hongxing Zhang Important Cultural Property
Important Cultural Property and Roderick Whitefield). The poem
is preceded by an unreadable oval • This piece is a companion to cat. 25.
• Kenzan's ceramic style was clearly seal and is signed "Kenzan Shinseigó" The poem here reads "Its scent breaks
influenced by his erudite and artistic ("Shinsei" is an artistic name Kenzan the solitude of the hill, adding to the 87
brother Kôrin. Nowhere is this clearer took at age twenty-five). Underneath coldness of the snow: Standing apart
than in the pieces on which they the signature are two stamped red on the south bank, it makes the
worked together. This square dish is seals: the upper one is depicted in water clearer" (translated by Hongxing
an exquisite example of their colla- negative and reads "Tóin," whereas Zhang and Roderick Whitefield). The
borative efforts. the lower one is depicted in positive poem clearly refers to the old plum
and reads "Shóko," but it is placed tree depicted to the right, with tender
The piece was originally part of a upside down. This upside-down place- branches shooting out of an old stump.
set of twenty dishes handed down in ment is consistent on all of the dishes The plum was a symbol of winter,
the Fujita family (see also cat. 26),
in the set and should be viewed as blossoming near the lunar new year.
sixteen of which were still in the part of the design that juxtaposes Kórin painted the plum tree and
family's hands during the Meiji period negative and positive as well as signed his work to the right "Hokkyó
(1868 -1912). Ten of these dishes opposing orientations. Kórin," using the honorific painting
are currently in the Fujita Museum title he was awarded. Kenzan signed
(another two are in the Idemitsu Next to the poem stands a crane. The "Kenzan Tóinsho" next to the poem
Museum of Arts, Tokyo), and all of crane faces one direction but turns and added two stamped red seals
them are designated Important its head in the other, voicing a silent beneath the signature as in cat. 25
Cultural Properties. Kenzan formed cry. The bird's call echoes the poem. and the other dishes in the set.
and fired the pieces at the Narutaki Framing the crane are three reeds,
Izumidani kiln. He also painted the behind which Kórin has signed his Other themes represented in the set
calligraphy and designed the rim name in the lower left corner. include chrysanthemums, willows,
decoration, while Kórin executed the The rims of all pieces in the set have bamboo, Jurójin (the god of longevity),
underpainting. Both brothers signed similar decoration. The interior of the and a Chinese figure. NCR
each piece, Kôrin beside the paintings, rim is ornamented with a loose floral
and Kenzan alongside the poems.
spray on each of the four sides. The
exterior has a roundel filled with a
stylized flower against a checked pat-
tern that is reminiscent of a textile
design. NCR