IN THE SPIRIT OF GOJO-ZAKA

Of all the students that Kawai Kanjiro taught, there is one standout who managed to infuse his master's syle with his own unique vision and that was Kawai Takeichi. Kawai Takeichi, also Bu'ichi, (1908-1989) was both nephew and student of Kawai Kanjiro spending a long while as student and assistant to the master. For a time, Takeichi also assisted in instructing the apprentices at the  studio and kiln at the studio/kiln in Gojo-zaka of Kawai Kanjiro.  Though his work has that distinct Kawai-mon (Kawai school) flavor and is at times mistaken for the work of his master, if you see enough and study the works of Takeichi, it is rather easy to see the differences between master and student. Takeichi had a son who has gone on to make pottery, KawaiToru (b.1941). Toru  studied first with his grandfather, briefly from 1964-1966 and then with his father. Toru's works differ quite a bit from his father and grandfather though it still bares that distinct Kawai school flavor. There is absolutely no gosu blue, like that of the Kawai school.

Illustrated is a wonderful, Chinese influenced mizusashi by Kawai Takeichi glazed in a soft and streaked Chun glaze with vivid accents of purple boiling up through the surface. The edges of the mizusashi have been effected to help create a frame that encapsulates the form and it is done to great effect. This mizusashi clearly illustrates the style of Takeichi ,created in a mold and is much more straight forward form than those used by Kawai Kanjiro. This is not to insinuate that Takeichi was less imaginative, but rather the path he decided to espouse was based on, but not copying that of his master.