| Ko Imari and Its Styles |
Development of porcelain industry in Japan was largely benefited from the political turmoil at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in China. In its earliest period between 1610 and 1650, Imari porcelain was decorated only in under glazed blue which is known as shoki imari. It was simple and rather primitive at beginning. In the 1640's, colors were applied by using enameling methods brought from China. This hand colored porcelain is known as iroe or akae which literally means a picture with colors. Around this period, China was in the midst of the civil war and their porcelain kilns were destroyed. The Dutch East India Company, an exporter of the Chinese porcelain to Europe, needed to fill their orders from elsewhere : in 1659, the Arita kilns in Hizen received a large order from the company. In the 1670's, Kakiemon style was developed by the Arita potters especially for the export trade, which is characterized by the elegant colored decoration of animals & people and, also kacho-zu (a painting of birds and flowers in asymmetrical form). The body of Kakiemon porcelain is known as nigoshide resembling translucent milky white water after rice is washed. In the 1690's, this Kakiemon style was soon replaced by the Kinrande style of more dense decoration in sections with the colors of red, gold, blue & others : a word, "Kinrande" derives from a luxurious silk garment woven or embroidered in gold threads. This Kinrande style is also known as Nishikide or Somenishiki in the Japanese market : Nishikede means colorful weaving and Somenishiki means Nishikide with added blue sometsuke decoration. While the export of the Kinrande porcelain brought Imari's fame and success, Japan's domestic market of porcelain wares also started to grow, stimulated by the bubbling economy and flouring culture in the cities surrounding the major sea ports where newly rich merchants found means of spending their wealth on their luxuries : beautifully decorated porcelain wares were shipped out of the Imari port to Kyoto, Osaka and Edo. In the Genroku period(1688-1703), Imari porcelain had reached to its peak of quality and prosperity.
Most of the Imari products exported in the early Edo period was produced in the province of Nabeshima Han : a "han" in Japanese stands for a feudal domain ruled by the lord. To protect a secret method of making porcelain products, Nabeshima Han regulated the numbers of the potters and painters in each kiln and studio, and by dividing the process into the separate shops where they handled the different stage of the production individually to prevent one person or one family to know the whole process. Especially, "hanyo" which means an exclusive kiln owned by the lord was guarded under the absolute secrecy. Hanyo owned by the Nabeshima han is known as Nabeshima porcelain which is famous for its extraordinary quality and beauty crafted meticulously. Other hanyo famous of its superb quality is the Hirado porcelain which was made in the Mikawachi kilns in Hirado Han.
In the 1680's, when China started to recover from the destruction of the civil war, the new emperor, Kangxi (1654-1722) was able to rebuild the porcelain kilns and re-start the export trade once again. This, in return, caused the significant decline in Japanese export trade. And, also, the strict export regulation known as sakoku of the Tokugawa government started to take charge in Japan. The export business had become risky and limited. Under these circumstances, in the 18th century, the domestic market became the main focus of their trade. Variety of the dishes in many sizes and shapes were introduced to the market, and also, inexpensive everyday types of ware were sent to the food venders and the homes of the lower common class of people throughout Japan. There were more porcelain kilns started in the other parts of Kyushu outside of Hizen such as the Hasami kiln in Omura Han which produced low cost, run-of-the mill type dishes in quantity.
In the later 18th century, when a plenty of porcelain products were circulated in the Japanese market, pottery makers outside of Kyushu felt urgent need to learn the methods of making porcelain to catch up with the newer trend. Before too long, they too started to produce beautiful porcelain wares in Seto, Kaga, Kyoto & other places. The porcelain which used to be the objects of rarity and luxury, strictly forbidden to the commoners of the Edo society rapidly flooded into the everyday life of all classes in Japan. In other words, the privilege which they held so many years in Hizen had ended.
Some-nishiki
染錦 Edo Period
