Yearly Archives: 2015

Hazan Itaya: Tea spoon

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Hazan Itaya
1872 Born in Shimodate, Ibaraki prefecture.
1894 Graduated from the department of Sculpture of Tokyo school of Fine arts (current Tokyo University of Arts).
1896 Became a chief teacher of wood sculpture at Ishikawa Institute of technology.
1903 Built a studio at Tabata, Tokyo. Named himself as Hazan. Began his career as a ceramic artist.
1934 Appointed to the Art committee of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts.
1953 Became the first ceramic artist to receive the Order of Cultural Merit.
1960 Appointed to be a living national treasure, but he declined that.
1963 Passed away at the age of 91.

Rosanjin Kitaoji: Lacqured bowl, Jitsugetsu type

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Rosanjin Kitaoji  北大路 魯山人
1883 Born in Shimogamo Kitaoji, Kyoto.
1907 Began his career as a calligrapher in Tokyo.
1916 Wandered around Korea, China, Shiga, Fukui, and Kanazawa. Returned to Kyoto.
1919 Opened his antique shop in Tokyo.
1921 Began 'Bishoku club' (Gourmet's club) which serves his food with his collections.
1925 Began 'Hoshigaoka Saryo'. (Members-only restaurant)
1928 Built 'Hoshigaoka kiln' in Kamakura for producing dishes used in the restaurant.
         His reputation rose as his works exhibited in department stores and the restaurant.
1935 Started focusing on producing ceramics.
1936 Left the management of the restaurant. 
1937 The first exhibition of his new works held at Ginza Kuroda Touen.
1939 The Hoshigaoka kiln was blisk holding about 50 staff around this year. 
1942 Evacuation in Ishikawa prefecture. Produced lacquer ware there.
1954 Held a solo exhibition in New York, invited by Rockefeller Foundation.
         Visited U.S. and Europe. 
1955 Declined certification of a living national treasure.
1956 Actively held exhibitions in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nagoya.
1959 Passed away at the age of 77.

Mineo Okabe Sake cup, Funsei type

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Mineo Okabe 
1919 Born in Seto, Aichi prefecture.
1937 Graduated from Seto Ceramic High School.
1938 Entered into Tokyo University of Science. 
1940 Dropped out from the university. Entered into the army of inner Mongolia. 
1947 Demobilization from the army. Settled in Hiradobashi, Aichi. (current Toyota city)
1949 Independently began ceramics in Hiradobashi. Married to Tatsuko.
1955 Received the award of the Japanese Ceramics Society at the first time.
1963 Started focusing on researching celadon. Moved to Nisshin, Aichi.
1965 Succeeded in producing 'Funseiji' (粉青瓷) Powdery Celadon.　Received Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon.
1969 Dedication of a set of Celadon vases to Umenoma room of Imperial Household Agency
1970 Succeeded in producing Yohen Beishokuji. (窯変米色瓷)
1978 Hospitalization by cerebral hemorrhage. Changed his sir name from Kato to Okabe.
1989 Exhibition of new works from recovery at Matsuzakaya department store in Nagoya.
1990 Passed away at the age of 70. 
2011 Retrospective exhibition [Destiny] at Ginza Kuroda Touen.