269. KIMURA Moriyasu 木村盛康, 1935- , Tenmokuyū chawan 天目釉茶盌 (Teabowl with Tenmoku glaze)
Kimura was born into the Kimura family of potters in Kyoto, the youngest of four children. After learning the basics of ceramics at the Kyoto Municipal Industrial High School, he studied under his eldest brother, Morikazu (1921-2015), and learned decorating techniques from his father, Shigeji (1895-1971) . Soon after graduating high school, he saw the National Treasure “yuteki 油滴 (oilspot) tenmoku teabowl” (see below) in the Atake collection of the Museum of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka and decided to devote himself to Tenmoku glazes, for which he is now famous.
In 1959, at the age of 24, Moriyasu gained national attention when he was selected as a participant in the Modern Ceramics of Japan exhibition at the National Museum of Art. In the 1960s he began exhibiting at the Nihon Dentō Kōgeiten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition). His works are held in several important public collections, including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas and Houston museums, Peabody Essex Museum, National Palace Museum in Taiwan, and the collection of the Ise Shrine. In 2019-2020, his works were featured in the Iridescent Sparkles of Tenmoku – Works by Kimura Moriyasu exhibition at the Museum of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka.
Light tan clay. “Oilspot Tenmoku” glaze; oilspots black; area between oilspots, ranging from cream through coral to a dark chocolate colors; foot ring and surrounding area unglazed. Weight: 325 g (11.6 oz). Height: 7.5 cm (3 in). Widths: rim (the widest point), 12 cm (4-3/4 in); of foot ring, 3.3 cm (1-1/4in).
This sits on the base of the foot ring, which is quite bumpy and irregular and roughly a centimeter wide (3/8 in). On the outside the foot ring measures about one centimeter high; the interior of the ring, which is 3.3 cm (1-1/4 in) in diameter, was only slightly hollowed out. In the unglazed area of the wall beside the foot ring, the artist impressed a rectangular seal into the clay, leaving the seal character version of his given name stamped into the clay (see the third photo from the end). The body of the bowl is a rough circle in cross-section. Above the foot ring, the walls proper extend outward and upward in a very shallow convex arc to a height of around 3.3 cm (1-1/4 in). At this point, the bowl is about 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. Above this the walls extend upward vertically. There is a shallow horizontal groove extending around the bowl about halfway up. Above the groove the walls move outward gradually to the rim, the widest point of the piece. As can be seen in the unglazed portion, the clay body is rather pitted. The surface of the glazed portion is bumpy from the indentations of the oilspots but otherwise smooth to the touch.
The Tenmoku glaze combines feldspar, limestone, and iron oxide. The more quickly a piece is cooled, the blacker the glaze becomes. A long firing process and a clay body heavily colored with iron increase the opportunity for iron from the clay to be drawn into the glaze. While the glaze is molten, iron can migrate within the glaze to form surface crystals, as in the “oilspot” glaze, or remain in solution deeper within the glaze for a rich glossy color. Oilspots are more common in an oxidation firing. A longer cooling time allows for maximum surface crystals. For more on this glaze, see Wikipedia, s.v. “Tenmoku.”
Covered with a Tenmoku glaze except for the foot ring and the area surrounding it. The surface is densely covered with black “oilspots.” These form circular dimples within the glaze (see the fourth photo). The center of each oilspot reflects light, making the surface appear spotted with glowing dots. The glaze between the oilspots is raised, forming elevated rivulets variously colored cream, coral, and shades of brown.
This came in a wooden box inscribed by the artist on the topside of the lid in two lines: 天目釉 / 茶盌 tenmokuyū / chawan (Tenmoku glaze / teabowl); the underside of the lid is inscribed 盛康作 Moriyasu saku (made by Moriyasu). The third character is written over the artist’s seal in red ink. showing his given name in seal script. The same seal was stamped in red on a blue wrapping cloth included in the box.
Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery, Kyoto, Japan, in January 2025 (invoice, shipping and customs documents, jointly with item 270)
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