FUJI-SAN II

I recently had an email exchange with a fellow collector and at some point, he mentioned a Fujisan chawan that he admired but had missed out on. I have not seen the piece but from past experience, it is rather difficult to orchestrate the Fuji-san motif well so that it articulates appropriately with the bowl form. I am certainly not saying it can not be done as there are quite a few chawan decorated with Fuji that work quite well. This reminded me of a Wakao Toshisada Shino chawan that I have on the hard drive of just such a bowl with exactly that motif and to my eye, it works exceptionally well. This chawan has a sprawling scene of Fuji-san that covers the entire face of the chawan in a variety of colors and technique creating a powerful image which fits the form so well as if the two are absolutely inseperable. Wakao Toshisada created an image that is reminescent of many a great Edo period painting with hints of the great Rimpa and Nihonga masters in this work presenting a powerful and three dimensional painting on a classic and timeless chawan made by a master at the very top of his craft.

A CERTAIN CLASSICISM

At first glance it is easy to see what appears to be a classic modern Shino bowl form in this illustration but the surface is neither typical of the pot or potter being fired Shigaraki style. Thrown and fired by Mino traditional veteran, Wakao Toshisada, this particular bowl form is highly typical of the potter who on occasion creates a number of pots that are distinctly outside his normal range including Karatsu, hakeme, kohiki, Shigaraki and over-glaze enamel pieces this chawan was thrown out of a durable Shigaraki clay and has a nice, rich coat of ash with areas punctuated by melting feldspar and fiery hi-iro patches making for a lovely wood fired pot that pays homage to traditions of the past, both Shigaraki and Mino. I have seen a wide array of pots by Wakao Toshisada and am always left satisfied by his ability to create thoughtful and classic works infused with his distinctive touch whether they be his trademark Rimpa style pieces or his more classic works in Shino, Seto-Guro and Oribe. Though not within the traditional boundaries of Mino, you can get hints of that classicism in this chawan through the posture, character and form that only a well seasoned and practiced potter could get away with.

"It is an unscrupulous intellect that does not pay to antiquity its due reverence."  Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)

琳派

As I look at this noble and elegant platter, I can not help but think of some of the later Rimpa masters of the Edo period. The imagery conjures up thoughts of Sakai Hoitsu and his pupil Suzuki Kiitsu as well as the late master of the style, Kamisaka Sekka (1866-1942), all pursued the refinement of design with elements of stylization of which the sparse decoration on this plate so eloquently reflects. Wakao Toshisada is a master of this style, his Rimpa-esque pottery adds to the legacy of this tradition while as potter, painter and designer, his works show a truly inspired understanding of using two dimensional design to articulate a three dimensional form. The grand sweep of the iron running from upper to lower corner brings life to the piece while the use of two lone iris and leaves suggests a lush and contemplative Heian garden. Wakao understands the power of suggestion and it is seen in most of his works allowing the viewer to be moved, transported to differing times and places; this is the lure of his work which fits well in to the legacy that is Rimpa.

白円相

I am quite a fan of the Rimpa influenced Shino works of the Mino master, Wakao Toshisada, but I have to say there is something rather elemental and subtle, even serene in his more traditional works like the illustrated chawan. Having a strong Momoyama influence, this gently tapering Nezumi-Shino chawan has a magnificent shiro-enso (white circle) on the face which dominates the omote and gathers the viewer in to the bowl. The textured surface has small "cells" of glaze which lets iron peek through, painting a soft landscape on which the purity of the white clay shows through to dominate the ceramic canvas. Wakao has made tremendous use of the negative space on the surface which is subtly articulated by glaze texture and form, acting as a vehicle for the central device of the pot much like a great scroll painting though in three dimensions as only a master potter could achieve. The sheer simplicity of the decoration creates a chawan of exceptional clarity and the strength of form brings to mind a bowl that great chajin would have gladly competed for during a time long ago forgotten.

SPRING AHEAD

What is more fitting for the first day of Spring than to spring ahead and think of fall. Illustrated is a elementally Rimpa style chawan by Wakao Toshisada with falling leaves drifting about the surface of the bowl. Using his Nezumi-Shino as the basis for the chawan, silver, iron red and white leaves decorate the bowl and move about the surface that bring us to reminisce about Fall which as we know comes fast enough. A single leaf can be seen peering over the lip of the chawan as Wakao makes full use of his ceramic canvas in a simple and minimal manner. Using flora, fauna and other natural device, each and ever Rimpa style bowl that Wakao Toshisada makes conjures up memories and endless possibilities to come.

"The past like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities."   Stephen Hawking

INK CHAWAN

Illustrated is a poetic ink and wash rendition of a Rimpa influenced Shino chawan by Mino veteran, Wakao Toshisada. The simplicity of the form, outlined in ink with no superfluous details, houses the ink and wash flower that decorates the chawan. Knowing the work of Wakao, the image conjures to mind how the chawan would look in clay and three dimensions. Though there is little detail, bare bones if you will, everything needed to know this chawan is rendered in a few moments of lyrical brushwork.

FUKINSEI

In keeping with my interest in Enso across many media, illustrated is a classical Nezumi-Shino chawan by Wakao Toshisada. I have written about Toshisada before, so I will keep my comments brief; the beauty of this pot and its partial white Enso is its many possible interpretations and its balanced asymmetry. With the roving lip as the horizon, it resembles a full moon rising into the night's sky to reach for its fullest potential as is the potter with this lyrical and simple pot.

IPOMOEA NIL

Illustrated is a very Rimpa influenced scroll painting and a pottery platter (hachi) by noted potter Wakao Toshisada (b.1933). Born and working in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, Toshisada is one of the truly gifted Mino tradition potters and is exceptionally well known for his Rimpa inspired Shino pottery, a style that goes back to the days of Honami Ko’etsu (1558-1637, Tawaraya Sotatsu (d. 1643?), Ogata Kenzan (1163-1743) and his brother Korin (1658-1716). The water color scroll of a Japanese morning glory (ipomoea nil) is reminiscent of paintings by Sakai Hoitsu (1761-1828) and his student Suzuki Kiitsu (1766-1858) who is particularly well known for his rendition of morning glories. Though it evokes comparisons to older paintings, anyone familiar with his work can see his hand in the portrayal and in the way the image fills the frame of the scroll as if he was thinking of it as a tray or platter.

This illustration of a ceramic hachi by Wakao shows how closely his paintings and pottery go hand in hand. This vivid Rimpa tray is glazed primarily in Nezumi-Shino with areas of iron slip showing through the glaze and painted gold accents to bring the design to life. It is truly wonderful to be able to see the scroll and pot side by side and get a glimpse into a potter’s creative process. Toshisada’s works are an exceptional addition to the Mino tradition and help usher the Rimpa pottery tradition well into the 21st century.

MOMOYAMA REVIVALIST

“Every pot you make must be your own original creation. It should not be a mere arrangement of old techniques. You see, we are living in this world of today, so therefore we must use the fire of today and sing the song of today. It sounds easy, but it is a very hard thing to do.”

“Shino wares were first created in the Momoyama era, a time of great creative impetus which suddenly vanished. Shino wares created amid the natural beauty of Mino, earned a reputation as the king of ceramics and I would like to bring that tradition back to life. But mine is the modern age, and I would like that fact to come out in my design and plastic art. Above all, I want to mix modern styles with the traditional Japanese sense of beauty as it is presented in the Nezumi-Shino.”* Wakao Toshisada

Illustrated is a Nezumi-Shino chawan by Wakao Toshisada (b. 1933) which clearly shows the revival of the Momoyama aesthetic. Though well known for his creative use of Shino glazes and Rimpa influenced designs, his work as a modern traditional Mino potter is exceptional. His minimalist designs are used to make maximum use of space echoing back to the monochrome ink painters of the Momoyama era. As he very carefully points out and makes use of his own insights, his work is solidly based on an earlier archetype, but his pottery shows the characteristics of a modern day potter.

(*Quoted from MINO; 30 Anniversary DMCAA)