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.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified as a painting originating from Japan.
Created in 1827, Making Ceramics is executed as a hanging scroll utilizing ink and color applied to a paper support. The work represents a genre scene depicting a man engaged in labor, consistent with the artist Eiraku Hozen's focus on daily life. The medium combines monochrome ink lines with colored pigments to define the figure and his activity within the composition.
As a two-dimensional painting on paper, the piece relies on the traditional scroll format for presentation. The work is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified as a painting originating from Japan. No specific details regarding the physical condition of the paper or the precise handling methods employed during the painting's creation are provided in the available records, though the formal classification confirms its status as a colored ink work on paper.
History & Provenance
The hanging scroll titled "Making Ceramics" (陶造) was created by the Japanese artist Eiraku Hozen in 1827. Executed in ink and color on paper, the work depicts a man engaged in ceramic production. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is cataloged under the accession number 18.77.3.
While the specific commissioning patron or the immediate chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not detailed in the provided records, the work's inception is firmly dated to the year 1827. The artwork originates from Japan and represents a genre scene focused on labor and craftsmanship within the ceramic tradition.
The hanging scroll titled "Making Ceramics" by Eiraku Hozen, dated 1827, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The institution identifies the work with the accession number 18.77.3. While the artwork's creation date and medium are documented, the provided sources do not contain specific records regarding its exhibition history or detailed provenance prior to its inclusion in the museum's holdings.
Context
Eiraku Hozen’s hanging scroll 永樂保全筆 「陶造」|Making Ceramics, executed in ink and color on paper in 1827, portrays a craftsman shaping pottery, exemplifying Edo‑period genre scenes of occupational labor. The work, classified as a painting within the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, reflects contemporary interest in documenting artisanal activities and offers insight into the visual culture of Japanese ceramic practice. Scholarship notes its technical refinement and its role in representing everyday work, positioning the piece within the broader trajectory of Japanese narrative painting and the evolution of genre imagery in the late Edo era.
Overview
Eiraku Hozen's hanging scroll, Making Ceramics (陶造), rendered in ink and color on paper, dates to 1827. This painting offers a detailed genre scene, capturing the various stages of ceramic production. It provides a rare glimpse into the daily routines and specialized labor involved in a traditional Japanese pottery workshop during the early 19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a craftsman intently shaping clay on a potter's wheel, his posture suggesting focused effort. In the background, other figures are engaged in different aspects of the process, from transporting unfired vessels to managing a wood-fired kiln, indicated by a plume of smoke. The overall impression is one of quiet industry, portraying the methodical nature of the craft rather than dramatic action.
Artist & collection
