NAKAJIMA YASUMI (1877 – 1952)
JAR-SHAPPED VASE MADE FORTHE ENTHRONEMENT AND CORONATION OF THE SHOWA EMPEROR.
THE COGWHEEL-LIKE PATTERN IN THE UPPER BAND MAY EXPRESS THE MODERN SPIRIT OF SHOWA THROUGH A MACHINE IMAGE.
THE BEAUTIFUL COLOR SUGGESTS THE PATINA OF ANCIENT CHINESE COPPERWARE.
THIS COLOR IS NOT APPLIED WITH PIGMENT, BUT CREATED BY A TRADITIONAL
JAPANESE TECHNIQUE IN WHICH ACIDSREACTTO THE FIRE SURFACE.
AFTER FIRING WITH A COAT OF SALTEDRICE-BRANPASTE USED FOR PICKLING (NUKAMISO), THE VESSEL WAS GIVEN THE OHAGURO (BLACK TEETH) TREATMENT UTILIZING COPPER SULFATE AND VINEGAR TO ACHIEVE THE DARK BROWN PATINA.
NAKAJIMA YASUMI, GIVEN NAME TOYOTSUGU,WAS BORN IN A FAMILY OF METAL ENGRAVERS IN TOTTORI PREFECTURE.
AFTER MOVING TO KYOTO, HE LEARNEDTHE ART OF METEAL CHASING UNDER KOBAYASHI CHINPEI.
IN 1908 ,HE WON FIRST PRIZE AT THE MILITARY VICTORY COMMEMORATIVE EXPOSITION HELD TO CELEBRATE JAPAN’S VICTORY IN THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR.
IN 1925 YASUMI WAS DISPATCHED TO PARIS TO STUDY EUROPEAN CRAFTS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES.
WHILETHERE, HE WAS APPOINTED AS A JUDGE TO THE EXPOSITION INTERNATIONALE DES ARTS DECORATIFS ET INDUSTRIEL MODERNES AND WAS AWARDED AN HORS -CONOCOURS PRIZE FOR HIS OWN WORK.
ALTHOUGH YASUMI ORIGINALLY SPECIALIZED IN ENGRAVING AND HAMMERING METAL AFTER HIS RETURN TO JAPAN IN 1927, HE STARTED TO WORK IN CASTING TECHNIQUES MORE ACCOMMODATING TO LARGE WORKS.
HII WORK WAS FIRST ACCEPTED AT THE TEITEN IN 1927.
IN 1928 YASUMI WAS PROJECT CHIEF FOR THE GIFTS GIVEN BY THE CITY OF OSAKA TO THE SHOWA EMPEROR ON HIS CORONATION.
HE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE OSAKA CRAFT GROUP ,MUGENSHA , IN 1929 AND A PRICE WINNER AT THE BELGIAN CENTENARY EXPOSITION IN LIEGE IN 1930.
PERIOD: SHOWA 1928
DIM. CM. 33.5 x 10.2
TOMOBAKO ORIGINAL