Hello to everyone reading this blog.

My name is Yokoyama, the owner of Koto Potter.

Ogata Kenzan was an Edo period potter who created the foundations of Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki, styles that continue to this day.

He is a potter who has had an enormous influence on the development of Japanese pottery and has expressed his unique worldview through his pottery.

Coto Potter's "The World of Kyoto Ware and Kiyomizu Ware" has previously published several articles related to Kenzan.

However, there are limitations to conveying the true character of Kenzan just by looking at documents and works, so I felt that I needed to speak to an intellectual about it.

So we approached the MIHO MUSEUM, which owns and exhibits many of Kenzan's works, to request an interview, and they kindly agreed.

Koto Potter is an e-commerce site with a suspicious katakana name that is not a well-established company, and since the request came suddenly, I honestly thought we would decline the interview, but it turns out that it is a very generous museum!

I hope that this interview will allow us to delve deeper into Kenzan's true character and his appeal.

MIHO MUSEUM

• Opening hours: 10:00am - 5:00pm (last entry 4:00pm)
• Closed days: Please see the business calendar on our website.
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MIHO MUSEUM Interview with Hatanaka-san about "Kenzan"

In mid-December 2024, we received permission to cover the event and visited MIHO MUSEUM, located about an hour's drive from our Kyotanabe office!

MIHO MUSEUM is located in the natural mountains of Shigaraki, Shiga. It goes without saying that the quality and abundance of its collection is high, but the beauty of the facility's architecture is also stunning, allowing you to enjoy art throughout the entire museum.

The person we interviewed was Akiyoshi Hatanaka, head of the curatorial department, who planned and created the legendary special exhibition "Kenzan - A World of Seclusion and Elegance" held in 2004.

Having seen Kenzan's works in collections both in Japan and abroad, what does Hatanaka think of the potter Ogata Kenzan?

Interviewee: Akiyoshi Hatanaka (Chief Curatorial Officer, MIHO MUSEUM)

He has been in charge of special exhibitions such as "Shigaraki - Heaven in a Pot" (1999), "Kenzan - A World of Mystery and Elegance" (2004), and "Future of Ancient Pottery - Ceramics of the Middle Ages" (2010). The Kenzan cooking photo book "Beautiful Kenzan Shikisai" (Beautiful Kenzan Shikisai), which he planned, won the Grand Prix (2006) and Best of the Best (2008) in the photography category of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards , as well as the Best of the Best of 2015.

Interviewer: Masatoshi Yokoyama (Owner of Koto Potter)

Yokoyama: Thank you for taking the time to answer this interview despite your busy schedule and the sudden contact.

Hatanaka: No, no.

Yokoyama: The 2004 exhibition "Kenzan - A World of Seclusion and Elegance". The catalogue published for this exhibition contains many works and also contains detailed explanations, so it is very helpful. I get the impression that many potters who make Kenzan copies refer to this book.

• Image: Kenzan - A world of seclusion and elegance - MIHO MUSEUM

Hatanaka-san: I'm glad that I was able to help you. It took a lot of work to put together this exhibition.

Yokoyama: I would like to ask you about that later. Thank you for your time today!

Q. About the MIHO MUSEUM's collection of Kenzan's works

Yokoyama : MIHO MUSEUM has such a large collection that they could hold a separate exhibition on Kenzan. Could you tell us about the characteristics of the Kenzan works you have collected?

Hatanaka-san : That's a feature. As with other genres of artwork, we don't have a policy of systematically collecting works by timeline or theme like in a museum.

Yokoyama : I see. What is the policy for collecting this information?

Hatanaka : The founder, Mihoko Koyama, mainly collects works that "inspire her." She has a history of selecting works that strike a chord with her as she browses through a variety of works.

• Rust-painted lily-shaped dish Collection: MIHO MUSEUM
• Image: Kenzan - A world of seclusion and elegance - MIHO MUSEUM

Yokoyama : So the works were selected based on sensibility.

Hatanaka-san : Yes, that's why we have such a high-quality selection. We have a wide range of Japanese items, including tea ceremony utensils, and we have a selection that captures aesthetic sensibilities.

• Colored camellia design bowl Collection: MIHO MUSEUM
• Image: Kenzan - A world of seclusion and elegance - MIHO MUSEUM

Yokoyama: So Kenzan's work is one of them.

Hatanaka-san : That's right. Some of the works were originally owned by the founder, but when the museum opened, we decided to collect not only ceramic works but also calligraphy and paintings, and we gathered together the scattered works. This became the foundation of the current Kenzan Collection.

Yokoyama : The founder's discerning eye and passion have created this wonderful Kenzan Collection.

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Q. About Kenzan's current works

Yokoyama : I'm curious as to whether Kenzan's works that were in private collections ever come onto the market. I sometimes go to antique markets, but I've never seen anything by Kenzan himself.

Hatanaka-san : They do occasionally come up at auctions, but there are a lot of counterfeits out there. A professional can tell the difference, but it's also possible to make counterfeits that look pretty similar.

Yokoyama : When it comes to works by famous potters like Kenzan, there is a high risk of counterfeits being sold. I'm sure you have seen many of Kenzan's works, but what do you think are the key points to determining authenticity?

Hatanaka-san : In the case of Kenzan ware, the key to appraisal is the characters in particular. Although it is possible to imitate the atmosphere and technique of the pottery, it is extremely difficult to accurately reproduce the characters. When looking at waka or Chinese poetry written on square or long plates, the brush strokes and momentum of the characters are clearly evident.

• Rust-painted square plate with peony design Owner: MIHO MUSEUM
• Image: Kenzan - A world of seclusion and elegance - MIHO MUSEUM

Yokoyama : So the handwriting is an important point in appraisal.

Hatanaka-san : I think Kenzan himself had a strong preference for characters. He thought he could not compete with the artistic talent of his brother Korin, so he focused on pottery. However, he was confident in his characters and had his own unique preference. I think that Kenzan's decision to write the kiln mark with a brush instead of a stamp is also an indication of that preference.

• Ten rust-painted waka tanzaku plates Collection: Tokyo National Museum
• Image: Colbase

Yokoyama : Kenzan's works, including his calligraphy and waka poetry, have a unique personality.

Hatanaka : That's exactly what's so interesting about Kenzan's work.

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Q. About Kenzan’s pottery

Yokoyama : Kenzan left behind works in a wide range of fields, including not only pottery but also painting and calligraphy. How much was he involved in actually touching the clay and putting it into the kiln?

Hatanaka-san : *When he first built the kiln in Narutaki , I think he put all his effort into it. However, in Kyoto, craftsmanship is basically divided into different parts. Kenzan was born into a kimono shop, so he must have had the sense of completing the work with the help of other craftsmen.

*Narutaki: The place that can be said to be the birthplace of Kenzan ware. It is said to have been named Kenzan because it is located in the "Kan" (north-south) direction from central Kyoto.

• Image: Kenzan Kiln ruins in Narutaki. Photo: Masatoshi Yokoyama

Yokoyama : So you were more of a producer than a contemporary individual ceramic artist?

Hatanaka-san : Yes, that's right. Kenzan supervised the whole process and used craftsmen to finish the pieces. As a result, I think the shape of Kenzan ware was created.

Yokoyama : Was there some mass production going on?

Hatanaka-san : Yes. As demand increased, it became necessary to enlist the help of several craftsmen. It is also known that Kenzan adopted Ninsei's son and worked with him on pottery.

Yokoyama : It's difficult to grasp the extent of Kenzan's involvement.

Hatanaka-san : Yes. There are narrow views that emphasize the extent to which Kenzan himself was directly involved, and there are also broader views that look at Kenzan ware as a whole. This is an area that is still debated among researchers.

<Continued in part 2>

Thinking with an expert Kenzan <1> <2> <3> <4>

Other articles by Ogata Kenzan