Folk Art Potters Of Japan

This is a study of a group of potters living in a small community in the south of Japan, and about the problems they face in the production, marketing and aesthetic appraisal of a kind of stoneware pottery generally referred to as mingei, or folk art. It shows how different people in an art world bring to bear different sets of values as they negotiate the meaning of mingei and try to decide whether a pot is 'art', 'folk art', or mere 'craft'. At the same time, this book is an unusual monograph in that it reaches beyond the mere study of an isolated community to trace the origins and history of 'folk art' in general. By showing how a set of aesthetic ideals originating in Britain was taken to Japan, and thence back to Europe and the United States - as a result of the activities of people like William Morris, Yanagi So etsu, Bernard Leach and Hamada Sho ji - this book rewrites the history of contemporary western ceramics.

Explore Japanese folk art—called mingei—with this beautifully illustrated book. Mingei literally means the "arts of the people" and is a treasured expression of Japanese culture and history. This book of Japanese folk art introduces 116 exquisite and interesting Japanese pieces, describing their origins, showing how they are made and used, and relating the background of myth and folklore associated with each. Illustrated with many line drawings and color photographs, Mingei offers readers a concise and informative introduction to a rich and varied artistic tradition.

With dozens of lovely photographs and insightful commentary, The Folk Arts of Japan deals with a rediscovered branch of Japanese art. Although these folkcraft creations have their roots in the country's ancient and colorful art tradition, their unassuming grace makes them unmistakably in harmony with modern functional design. The author, Dr. Munsterberg brings to his work the fruits of four years of study in Japan and a deep knowledge of Asian culture, making available for the first time in English a comprehensive guide and commentary on this significant branch of Japan's varied arts.

Featuring dozens of color photographs and extensive commentary, this Japanese ceramics guide is an comprehensive resource for collectors and art enthusiasts. For the collector of Japanese ceramics, the chief value of the book will lie in the author's very practical advice on what, where, and how to collect; what to pay; how to choose a dealer; how to distinguish between the genuine and the imitation; and similar matters of importance. For the non-collector who nevertheless admires Japanese ceramics, the main interest will undoubtedly lie in the concise and highly readable background information that Mr. Munsterberg presents and in his amiable manner of leading the reader to an appreciation of Japan's ceramic art. For both the collector and the non-collector, the abundance of illustrations, many of them in color, will provide an aesthetic treat.

An in-depth portrait of the life and work of Shoji Hamada, one of the key figures behind the development of studio pottery in the 20th century, and the legacy he left. Shoji Hamada was one of the seminal figures in 20th century ceramics. Along with the British potter Bernard Leach, he was instrumental in the development of the international Studio Pottery movement in the early 1900s. Their dramatic influences are still felt today, particularly in the United States and Great Britain. Hamada, also a major figure in Japan's folk art revival, was designated a 'Living National Treasure' by the Japanese government in 1955 and awarded the Order of Culture in 1968. Shoji Hamada is an ebullient and fascinating portrait of a great potter, tracing his place in the ceramic tradition and revealing a keen perception of his energetic lifestyle, dazzling work cycle, and intriguing specifics about the firing of his kilns. The text and over 200 new colour photographs from Peterson's stay at Hamada's compound in 1970 present a wealth of detail about techniques and processes. Equally important are the author's insights depicting Hamada's bequest to us: one whose life was concentrated toward the perpetuation and achievement of fundamental, unchanging and universal values and goals. In this completely re-designed and updated version of her classic book, Susan Peterson brings together the East-West connection personified by Hamada and Leach. In a completely new concluding chapter, she assesses Hamada's ongoing legacy to the world of studio pottery. This is an authoritative account of one of the towering figures in the ceramics world by one of the first people to welcome him to America in the early 1950s. The book is a must for anyone interested in the evolvement of hand pottery and the dynamics of ceramics in general.

" ... Deals with a rediscovered branch of Japanese art which, in the straightforward beauty of its products, is currently delighting the Western world. Although these folkcraft creations have their.

From 2005 through 2007, the author studied nine families from the original 1968 documentary film "Potters of Japan" by Richard and Marj Peeler. The Kondo, Shimaoka, Ichino, Kaneshige, Mori, Katō, Fujiwara, Waraku and Takahashi family names are synonymous with Japanese pottery. Each produces ceramic work that is respected and admired by thousands of Japanese and individuals throughout the world. This book is a review of each family since the original film and essentially a study of contemporary Japanese Ceramics from 1968 to the present. There are as many similarities as differences among this group of potters. Tradition is pivotal here; family name, prestige, artistic and technical secrets are passed from generation to generation with each family developing their own expression and unique qualities. Today, studio pottery in Japan has grown and there are many more people working and expanding the traditions of the original six old kilns (rokkouyo) and this book is an introduction to studio pottery in Japan today.

Great Victorian classic offers unsurpassed coverage of architecture, ornament, pottery, calligraphy, drawing, lacquerware, metalware, textiles, religious symbols and more. Fascinating insights into Japanese culture: dancing girls, hara-kiri, tea-drinking ceremony, shrines and scenery, vegetation, etc. Over 200 exquisitely drawn illustrations. A delight for art and antique collectors, art historians, crafts enthusiasts, any lover of Japan.