DOI issue:
American section
DOI article:Upson, Arthur: The art of Shippô Yaki: illustrated from the collection of Dr. Alfred Owre, Minneapolis
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.28250#0446
Shippo Yaki
ally fantastic animal figures. Fine specimens o
Middle Period ware are not frequent in European
and American collections. It would seem that only
the royal keepers of the Buddhist temples appre-
ciated and encouraged the art during this period,
for it was applied almost exclusively to temple ves-
sels. These vessels are of such size and richness
that it is not difficult to understand why so few of
them have been allowed to disappear from their
ancient shrines. Few connoisseurs of the Mikado’s
empire know of them excepting through hearsay,
and many have expressed astonishment upon en-
countering them in Europe.
Indifference to the art, or perhaps one should say
the monopoly of it by monastics, was succeeded,
not unnaturally, by a period of entire inactivity at
the close of the eighteenth century. Shippo yaki was
a forgotten industry to the craftsmen of the empire
when, in 1830, Kaji Tsunekichi, son of a samurai
of Owari, a skilled metalworker, set about to revive
it. So completely had the traditions of the old
enamellers been lost, that it was only after eight
years of patient toil, through which, as the chroni-
cler states, “ his unconquerable spirit sustained
him,” that Tsunekichi finally produced a piece of
ware suitable for exhibition. The Prince of Owari
extended his patronage and ordered the unconquer-
able one to fashion some gifts for the Shogun. And
thus the reestablishment of the art was confirmed.
a dull, Ming white, and a fine detached
curl of wire repeated evenly over the en-
tire surface lowers the tone and unifies
the heterogeneous elements of design.
To the Middle Period (from about 1650
to about 1850) belongs a distinct ware
which combines, as does no other, indi-
viduality with elaboration. It is far more
carefully designed and worked than any
preceding it. The delicate intricacy of
decorative patterns is carried out to perfec-
tion by a marvellous skill in mixing, apply-
ing, and firing the many-hued pastes now
in use. Dark and light greens, dull reds
and blues, lilac, citron, drab and white are
used with precision, and accurately dis-
tributed for balance of tones. The design
is, predominantly, fine diaper and floral
schemes, with backgrounds of conven-
tional scrollwork, and with lozenge or
fan-shaped medallions bearing occasion-
CHINESE VESSEL
LATE PERIOD
DR. OWRE’S
COLLECTION
JAPANESE ALTAR DISH
EARLY PERIOD
DR. OWRE’S
COLLECTION
LXVI
ally fantastic animal figures. Fine specimens o
Middle Period ware are not frequent in European
and American collections. It would seem that only
the royal keepers of the Buddhist temples appre-
ciated and encouraged the art during this period,
for it was applied almost exclusively to temple ves-
sels. These vessels are of such size and richness
that it is not difficult to understand why so few of
them have been allowed to disappear from their
ancient shrines. Few connoisseurs of the Mikado’s
empire know of them excepting through hearsay,
and many have expressed astonishment upon en-
countering them in Europe.
Indifference to the art, or perhaps one should say
the monopoly of it by monastics, was succeeded,
not unnaturally, by a period of entire inactivity at
the close of the eighteenth century. Shippo yaki was
a forgotten industry to the craftsmen of the empire
when, in 1830, Kaji Tsunekichi, son of a samurai
of Owari, a skilled metalworker, set about to revive
it. So completely had the traditions of the old
enamellers been lost, that it was only after eight
years of patient toil, through which, as the chroni-
cler states, “ his unconquerable spirit sustained
him,” that Tsunekichi finally produced a piece of
ware suitable for exhibition. The Prince of Owari
extended his patronage and ordered the unconquer-
able one to fashion some gifts for the Shogun. And
thus the reestablishment of the art was confirmed.
a dull, Ming white, and a fine detached
curl of wire repeated evenly over the en-
tire surface lowers the tone and unifies
the heterogeneous elements of design.
To the Middle Period (from about 1650
to about 1850) belongs a distinct ware
which combines, as does no other, indi-
viduality with elaboration. It is far more
carefully designed and worked than any
preceding it. The delicate intricacy of
decorative patterns is carried out to perfec-
tion by a marvellous skill in mixing, apply-
ing, and firing the many-hued pastes now
in use. Dark and light greens, dull reds
and blues, lilac, citron, drab and white are
used with precision, and accurately dis-
tributed for balance of tones. The design
is, predominantly, fine diaper and floral
schemes, with backgrounds of conven-
tional scrollwork, and with lozenge or
fan-shaped medallions bearing occasion-
CHINESE VESSEL
LATE PERIOD
DR. OWRE’S
COLLECTION
JAPANESE ALTAR DISH
EARLY PERIOD
DR. OWRE’S
COLLECTION
LXVI