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.
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