Crane Plate

About Imari

Porcelain was first fired in Hizen province of Northern Kyushu in the early 17th century by Korean potters, and most likely by the potter named Ri Sanpei, who was brought to Japan by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in his second invasion of Korea in 1597.

Early examples were somewhat primitive (but now highly prized) white or celadon toned wares, decorated with underglaze cobalt blue, until the 1640s when the first enamels were fired in red, green, blue, yellow, purple, and eventually gold; associated with the first enamels was the famous Sakaida Kakiemon (1596-1666). Before long Dutch traders entered the scene, who with their porcelain sources in China disrupted due to political turmoil, quickly turned to Arita to provide for European demands. The first large order at Arita was placed by the VOC in 1653, and in a short time Japan enjoyed prosperity as providers for the European elite, with export production reaching a peak in the 1680s, the beginning of the golden age.

While market demand continued for some time into the 18th century, Arita could not compete with China, who from a near cessation of operations in the 17th century rebounded in the 18th century. The last official order from the VOC in 1759 was for three hundred pieces, and the VOC itself was dissolved in 1799.

Simultaneously, and more substantially, Arita provided for its own domestic market throughout its long history. Both style and form evolved parallel with artistic and cultural trends, and show the strong influence at different times of Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu), Chinese ceramics, painting trends, and Chinese style tea ceremony (Sencha). Some of these domestic pieces were exported privately and incidentally to the West, however much of upper tier pieces were reserved for use by feudal lords and like members of society. Arita porcelains are remarkable for their rich variations in form, style and subjects.

What is Imari?

Imari is the name given to the world famous Japanese porcelain produced in Arita, Hizen province (modern Saga-prefecture) on the Island of Kyushu and other locations. The name Imari was taken from the Japanese port town from which the porcelain was shipped to other parts of Japan and abroad by the Dutch. Porcelain is a distinctively hard and white kind of clay fired at a relatively high temperature of 1,280 degrees celsius. Imari Tako Ozara

What is the early history of Imari?

Imari porcelain was first made in the late Momoyama/Early Edo period (turn of the 17th century). Legend suggests that the naturalized Korean potter Ri Sampei (1579-1655), who had been brought to Japan in 1598, found clay for porcelain production at Izumiyama near Arita, and fired the first plain white and the first underglaze cobalt blue porcelains in Japan. Sampei established a kiln at Tengudani, and from then on Arita developed until the area grew to rival Ching-te Chen in China as a production center of fine porcelain.

The manufacture of porcelain arrived late to Japan; the Chinese achieved porcelain by the 4th - 5th century and taught it to the Koreans by the 10th century. Interestingly, late 16th century kilns at Karatsu in Kyushu were capable of firing up to porcelain temperatures, but it appears that no source of porcelain clay had yet to be found in Japan.

Was all Japanese porcelain made at Arita?

No. Porcelain was made throughout Japan, and while there is a tendency to call all Japanese porcelain "Imari", that does not reflect this fact. While in its early history (17th through 18th centuries), Imari was produced almost entirely at Kyushu/Arita area kilns, in fact, by the mid 19th century, kilns all over Japan produced porcelain, some characteristically distinctive from others. Yet because Arita was both the first place and had the largest number of kilns that produced porcelain, it is the best known area for production.
Imari Tokkuri

What are the colors of Imari?

Porcelain itself is a white color, although light can be seen through thin examples. The largest amount of Imari produced has been in blue and white--a cobalt blue (later chemical pigments were used). With enamelling, colors and gold would be painted on top of the initial fired pure porcelain, or most often, porcelain with a blue underglaze design. Colored enamels varied considerably throughout time, influenced both by changes in enameling technology and stylistic trends. (See below Imari terms)

Are there different levels in quality?

Just as there were many kilns producing Imari, there is a great variety in the goods that were produced. Until relatively recent times, porcelain was considered a precious commodity, due to its fragile nature and striking aesthetic qualities. Therefore, there are many well known examples of Imari which can be considered fine art objects. For high quality products highly trained artisans would decorate their goods with a rich vocabulary of auspicious Chinese and Japanese motifs. The variety of decoration is immense, although there are many patterns and motifs that are frequently seen. Of course the finest products were not made for common people, and were used and owned by the distinguished and elite, which is commonly reflected in the use of family crests as decorative elements in actual designs.

Meanwhile other Imari products were produced for common use. A great number of these products were produced at kilns such as at Hasami in Kyushu, such as kurawanka (translated as won't you eat?) bowls, plates, sake bottles, rice bowls, tea cups, etc. Many of these designs are more fluid and freer than those finer Imari products. Common motifs included floral scrolls, plum and rock, cherry, maple, pine and lattice. Other kiln locations such as Mikawachi and Kiwarayama, also in Kyushu, were known for producing bottles for women's hair oil, as well as bowls and sake bottles. Imari Landscape

Is Imari folk art or fine art?

Examples of Imari range from fine art objects to pieces for common use throughout Japan. But even though there are common examples, it has only been within the last 100 years that porcelain became affordable to most people. For example, a soba choko cup (small cup for dipping noodles into sauce) in Edo times was very expensive relative to a commoner's salary.

Commonly used Imari terms

Shoki-Imari: This is the earliest and oldest Imari made for local Japanese use and taste. Scholars suggest that Shoki-Imari dates from the beginning of porcelain production, around 1620 until the onset of the export trade to Holland and the Near East, in 1659. Shoki-Imari has become rare and expensive, and is rarely seen outside of Japan.

Ko-Imari: "Ko" meaning old, Ko-Imari follows Shoki-Imari historically, and generally refers to the late 17th century through the mid Edo period. Like Shoki-Imari Ko-Imari is highly desired and expensive, but not as rare as the earlier Shoki-Imari.

Export: Records of the famous Dutch East India Company (VOC) show that the Dutch began to purchase Japanese porcelain in 1650, and brought vast quantities of Ko-Imari to Europe where it was greatly admired. The Dutch East India Company exported Imari until 1757, from which point on exports were done privately and continue until the present day.

Enamelling/Iro-e: Enamelling is made of overglaze enamel pigments which were painted onto porcelain after an initial firing, which usually included cobalt blue. Common enamel colors used were gold, red, green and blue. Enamelling was not done initially but developed sometime after the first production of porcelain. Export Imari is famously enamelled, often in a style meant to appeal to Western taste, in a rich and opulent manner. See sometsuke, nishikide, gosai and sansai for definitions of different color categories of Imari.

Seiji: A plain pale green colored celadon porcelain.

Hakuji: Plain white porcelain.

Kakiemon: Known as a lineage of potters who worked at the Nangawa kiln near Arita, Kakiemon porcelain is a high quality porcelain produced during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Sakaida Kizaemon (1596-1666) has historically been credited with using the first overglaze enamels on japanese porcelains, recent scholarship suggests that this was unlikely and that Kakiemon enameling actually post dates the first Hizen enamels.

Nabeshima: The first kiln for Nabeshima was set up in Iwayakawa-chi around 1630, it would later move to Okochiyama. Produced under the patronage of Saga Daimyo Lord Nabeshima, these porcelains were intended only for the use of the Daimyo, and had to be in perfect condition. Later in the 19th century they would be produced for both the domestic and export markets. Characteristics of Nabeshima include drawing outlines produced with underglaze blue, followed with enameled polychromes. Designs are precisely painted and perfectly finished.

Ruri: Plain cobalt blue glazed procelain.

Sometsuke: The Japanese term for Imari that is decorated in underglaze blue and white.

Gosai: The Japanese term meaning Imari of not more than five colors.

Recommended books

The following books were consulted and are suggested for more information:

  • Andacht, Sandra. Oriental Antiques & Art, Wallace-Homestead Book Company, 1987.
  • Impey, Oliver. The Early Porcelain Kilns of Japan:
    Arita in the First Half of the Seventeenth Century,     Oxford University Press, 1996.
  • Jenyns, Soame. Japanese Porcelain
  • Jenyns, Soame. Japanese Pottery
  • Moes, Robert. Mingei: Japanese Folk Art The Brooklyn Museum, 1985.
  • Mingei, Masterpieces of Japanese Folkcraft,Japan Folk Crafts Museum, 1991.
  • Japanese Art and Design,The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1986.
  • Daruma Magazine

 

Copyright by Blue & White America, Inc., 1998