After the Second World War, there was a real
resurgence and reimagining of the feudal traditions of Japan, whether they were
the glazed wares of Mino and other locales or the Rokkoyo; potters across the
country turned to these archetypal pots to bring them well into a new century.
Among these varied styles was that of Tokoname where Ezaki Issei spear-headed
the rebirth of their ancient pottery along with several of his students such as
Osako Mikio and Takeuchi Kimiaki. The illustrated medieval style tsubo is one
facet of what modern Tokoname ware looks like as interpreted by Takeuchi
Kimiaki where the clay body has the classic appearance of pots from the Ezaki
school of pottering making along with the vivid, almost illuminated ash glaze
wrapping the lip, mouth and shoulder of the piece while trails ending in bidoro
gems cascade down the form. Though there are both subtle and overt differences
in the works of Ezaki, Osako and Takeuchi, there are also a number of
similarity as each worked within a singular vision of what ancient Tokoname
pots had to say as well as how they wished to communicate what the modern
tradition would add to those pots that had gone before. It is hard to resist
this type of tsubo filled with purpose and created without an over bearing
intellect where the elements are casually crafted to create a pot filled with
the merging of the ancient and modern spirit.
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