Artwork
永樂保全筆 「陶造」|Making Ceramics
永樂保全筆 「陶造」|Making Ceramics is an ink painting by the Nihonga artist Eiraku Hozen. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 18.77.7
- Credit line
- Rogers Fund, 1918
About this work
Technique & Style
The piece functions as a genre scene depicting a male figure engaged in labour related to the making of ceramics, as the title indicates.
Created in 1827 by Eiraku Hozen, this work is a hanging scroll executed in ink and color on paper. The piece functions as a genre scene depicting a male figure engaged in labour related to the making of ceramics, as the title indicates. Pigments applied alongside ink define the figure and his activity, mounted for vertical display in the Japanese hanging-scroll format typical of genre painting of the period.
History & Provenance
The hanging scroll 永樂保全筆 「陶造」|Making Ceramics was created in 1827 in Japan by the painter Eiraku Hozen. The work, a genre scene depicting a man at work, entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is part of the Asian painting collection. No earlier owners or commissioning details are documented, and a specific accession number is not provided in the available sources. The records do not mention any recorded exhibition of the piece.
Overview
The hanging scroll titled Making Ceramics (永樂保全筆 「陶造」) was created in 1827 by Eiraku Hozen. Executed with ink and color on paper, this painting offers a detailed genre scene. It captures a moment of everyday labor, specifically illustrating the intricate process of crafting pottery. The work reflects the artist's unique perspective on a familiar trade.
Subject & Meaning
The painting centers on a man, clad in a dark apron, intently shaping wet clay on a potter’s wheel. Behind him, shelves are organized with an array of finished ceramic bowls and jars, while a small kiln emits a subtle glow in the background. This depiction of a working pottery studio conveys an intimate understanding of the craft, presenting a realistic portrayal of the tools and environment.
Context
Unusually, Making Ceramics was painted by a ceramicist rather than a professional studio artist. Eiraku Hozen, who created this work, was the proprietor of a renowned ceramics workshop in Kyoto. His direct experience with the trade imbues the scene with authenticity.
Every tool, shelf, and detail within the painting is rendered with the precision of someone intimately familiar with the daily operations of a pottery studio, rather than an imagined setting.
Artist & collection
