Japanese Ceramic Bowl Makuzu Kozan with Original Inscribed Box

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A glazed ceramic shallow bowl with surface paint decoration by Japanese imperial potter Makuzu Kozan ((1842–1916) with its original inscribed … Read more A glazed ceramic shallow bowl with surface paint decoration by Japanese imperial potter Makuzu Kozan ((1842–1916) with its original inscribed tomobako storage wood box. Unlike the better-known works Kozan made for the expositions in the west and export to the foreign market, this piece exemplifies his work for the domestic market and specifically, the tea ceremony. The bowl was made in the so called "Utusushi" to Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743), a celebrated Edo painter and ceramicist. Utusushi is loosely translated as "in the spirit of" or "Inspired by". It is not at all a simple imitation of a master, but a Japanese concept of embracing the spiritual essence of a master while the creator is free to mix in his or her own unique artistic interpretation and flavor.
The bowl was made to hold sweet cakes during the tea ceremony. It has a slab dish form with upturning edges and an overall irregular shape that radiate a sense of Mingei and wabi-sabi. The bottom of the dish features a branch of white camellia blossom, a beloved flower in Japan that blooms in winter. The laconic composition and misleadingly simple and sure strokes and colorings were homage to the master Ogata Kenzan. A similar flowering branch was placed on the underside of the dish, appreciated only possibly by the hands who handle the piece. There is simmering gold highlight in the shade of the veins in the leaf and also along the rims. On the bottom well of the dish, one can see several small round circles. These are called Kase in Japanese (deer back). The pattern resulted when stain seeped through the glaze for a long period from use: a naturally developed patina collectors of tea ceremony ware are particularly fond of. In the center of the foot ring, the mark Kozan in Kanji was written in dark glaze. There also retain a paper label indicating that the dish was in a US collection.
The original tomobako bears ink inscription on the lid "Sweet Cake Dish, Made by Kakuzu Utusushi Ogata Kenzan". A large red square seal read "Makuzu Kozan Made". The underside of the lid bears Miyagawa Kozan (his other name) and a smaller red "Mazuku Kozan" seal. The box also retains the yellow wrapping cloth that is likely original.
Reference: compare to a similar sweet cake dish illustrated on figure 14 of the book Bridging East and West: Japanese Ceramics from Kozan Studio: Selection from the Perry Foundation. Ashmolean Museum". See less