Page 310 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

202 THE CATALOGUE

2794* Tea-bowl. D. 6 in. Gray-drab day, whitish-fawn glaze with splash of light grayish
overglaze. Tempio Hdji \(\ (yrnXXexi). 1580
2795- Flower-vase. H. ii in. ' 1630
2796. Vessel, in form of bucket. H. io| in. Brown clay, olive-gray
glaze, crackle darkly stained. 1630
2797~2803. Various forms. 1650-1750
2804. Flower-vase. H. 10^ in. Square, flaring above and below, g^
fluted. Light clay, yellow Seto glaze brilliantly crackled. Two wide ^J
bands about middle. 1750 2794
Gift of James Ford Rhodes.
2805-2820. Various forms. 1750-1850
No. 2808 bears the mark Sekiran, impressed, and, inside, the mark Kanreki. The bowl
was made to celebrate the sixty-first birthday, an important anniversary with the Japanese.
GEMPIN (Case 24 and Plate XIX. 2821, 2822)
The records vary in regard to Gempin, the potter. In one record it is stated that
Gempin was a Korean ; in another, that he came from China in the latter part of the
Ming dynasty ; still another, that he was a fugitive. It is also recorded that he was
an ambassador from China, who came with others to seek help from Japan. He was
a good character-writer and potter ; and, under the patronage of the Daimyo of
Nagoya, built an oven and made, among other objects, heavy tea-bowls having white
glaze and blue decoration consisting of sketchy strokes of the brush. On a yellowish
pottery made by him poems were written in the most delicate and beautiful characters.
There are five specimens in the collection that may be regarded as genuine. In one
of these the character Gen is written on the bottom in blue. Other bowls attributed
to Gempin have the mark Gempin tsukuru written in blue, and these, though of fair
age, are spurious.
2821. Fire-bowl. D. 4} in. Crenulated rim. Light gray-drab clay, white glaze. Dec-
oration of figure, waves, fish, and encircling bands in light blue. Basal
-*-
ring with round perforations. Gen (written in blue). 1640
2822. Food-bowl. D. 5J in. Gray-drab clay, thick lustrous yellowish
glaze, strongly crackled, rough underglaze. Decoration of flowers and ^^^
^^J
band in gray. 1640
2823. Bowl. D. 4J in. Gray-drab clay, lustrous grayish-drab glaze, ^821
finely crackled, opalescent in portions. Rude decoration of flowers and scrolls in dark
gray. 1640
^_^
2824- Deep cup. D. 3! in. Thick and heavy. Dark drab clay, clear white ^
glaze, coarsely crackled. Matsu and encircling bands in blue on side.
Tsukuru (written in blue). 1640
j^
2825. Cake-dish. D. 6| in. Light fawn clay, yellowish-white glaze without -^^K.
lustre. Outside, fine scrolls in dark gray. Inside, finely written characters and '
delicate drawing of lotus in fine lines. Hokokushi Kanro (written). 1650
The last five objects are of great rarity. 2825