Illustrated
is a close-up detail of underglaze yuriko copper red decoration on a very large
tsubo by porcelain veteran, Yoshida Takashi. Born in Osaka in 1934, Yoshida had
the great fortune to train with not one exceptional master, but three; Tomimoto
Kenkichi, Kondo Yuzo and Fujimoto Yoshimichi, all three Ningen Kokuho for their
porcelain works. The floral decoration stands out against the stark, pure white
background and as you survey the decoration, the original brush strokes can be
seen within the expanding halo of the copper red design. In areas that his
brush first touched the bisque porcelain, faint green dots, punctuate the
mostly red decoration. Once the pot was fully decorated, the piece was glazed
over in a clear glaze, trapping the red and creating the lush and extravagant
floral decoration. There is little room for error in this type of decoration
which relies on spontaneity and speed to achieve its ultimate goal; yuriko!
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