Tamekichi Mitsui, the inheritor of Ko-Kutani and Yoshidaya

Inheriting the Old Kutani and Yoshidaya Painting Styles
The beauty of Kutani in overglaze enamels by Tamekichi Mitsui

Kutani Gosai (Five Colors of Kutani): Using five colors (green, yellow, purple, navy blue, and red), Tamekichi Mitsui's beautiful overglaze enameling enchants the viewer.
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This is Kutani ware!
A sense of presence that you can't help but think so.

Aote style vase used in Ko-Kutani and Yoshidaya.

The Aote style is a technique in which the entire vessel is filled with three colors (green, yellow, and purple) or four colors (dark blue plus blue), as if it were an oil painting. It is just like a painting. The contrast of the realistically painted flowers and birds against the deep yellow and intricately patterned background is pleasing.

 

This is a five-color hand bowl.

Gosai-te is also a style that has continued from Koya to the present. Using the five colors of Kutani (green, yellow, purple, navy blue, and red), the gorgeous overglaze painting of flowers, birds, winds, and the moon can be enjoyed.
The rhythmical arrangement of the patterns and color painting is very exciting.

Tamekichi Mitsui's style is based on the Ko-Kutani and Yoshidaya painting styles, with traditional landscapes, flowers, birds, winds, and the moon.
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What is the appeal of the Old Kutani and Yoshidaya painting styles?

We interviewed Mr. Tatsuya Mitsui, who will assume the name of the next Tamekichi Mitsui, the fourth generation of the Yoshidaya family.
I believe that there are compositions and designs that people have found beautiful from the bottom of their hearts since ancient times, like the Golden Ratio. I think that what remains is so wonderful and attracts people.

But that does not mean that we can strike a chord simply by transcribing Ko-Kutani or Yoshidaya overglaze enamel designs. The composition of a traditional design is already completed, so how to bring out the Tamekichi Mitsui style in it...it is a daily process of trial and error,” he said.
While searching for Tamekichi Mitsui's style, he still has strong feelings for Koya and Yoshidaya.
I simply love the style of Koya and Yoshidaya,” he said. Whenever and however many times I see these masterpieces in museums, I am always fascinated by them. They are beautiful even if there are a few scratches or paint runs. Even though they are hundreds of years old, they are so glossy and warm that they look as if they came out of the kiln yesterday. I want to be as close as possible to what I love,” he says.

Yoshidaya's “Egret and Willow
Kogutani's “Blue handled flat bowl with cherry blossom design

We asked him which of his favorite Koya or Yoshidaya masterpieces he liked best,
He said he likes Yoshidaya's “Egret and Willow”. He also showed me a small plate with a copy of the “Egret and Willow” design.
He said that the beauty of “Sagi to Yanagi” is that you can think about the parts you cannot see, as if there is another pair of egrets perched at the end of the willow branches that are not depicted.

In the gallery, there is also a copy of “Aote Cherry Blossom Scatter Design in Blue Handled Flatware, Old Kutani,” which is in the collection of the Prefectural Museum of Art.
The one at the museum is a large flat bowl measuring about 45 cm, but the one here is a medium-sized dish.
The design of Ko-Kutani is complete and wonderful. That's why the medium-sized dish is so compelling.
And the amazing thing about this Ko-Kutani copy of a medium-sized plate is the brilliant use of color. You can enjoy the deep, absorbing colors, just like the Ko-Kutani you saw at the museum.
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Why are beautiful colors like Ko-Kutani and Yoshidaya
and Yoshidaya?

One question arises here. For various reasons, the Japanese paints used in the Ko-kutani and Yoshidaya periods and those used today are not the same. Despite this, Tamekichi Mitsui's overglaze paintings, including but not limited to this copy of Ko-kutani, have the same profound and vivid colors as Ko-kutani and Yoshidaya overglaze paintings. How is this possible?

Tatsuya Mitsui, who assumed the name of Tamekichi Mitsui, says, “It is the result of a process of trial and error, where I put paint on a test piece and fired it to see how it would turn out, over and over again.

Even now, he takes great care to control the temperature and humidity during each firing.

In Ishikawa Prefecture, there is a saying, “Don't forget your umbrella even if you forget your lunch box,” because the weather is so changeable and there are many rainy days. Many rainy days mean high humidity. Iroe porcelain is easily affected by humidity, and the same paint can be fired (textured) completely differently in different humidity levels. High humidity is very troublesome to achieve the same firing results. Thankfully, however, our family has kept kiln data for the first, second, and third generations, and we use the data to fire the kiln under appropriate conditions according to the temperature and humidity of the day. Sometimes we use our own unique firing method. However, even with kiln data from generations of kilns, we are not 100% sure, so we are always nervous when we open the lid of the kiln and pick up a piece of pottery,” he says.

Observe the actual process of overglaze painting

This time, we were able to observe the process of painting the sake cups.

The elephant of Yoshidaya is painted on the inside of the sake cup. This time, the outside is painted. Japanese paints are applied on top of the patterns and outlines drawn with gosu. The grayish-gray Japanese pigment that is being applied now will turn a bright green when fired.

It is difficult to apply color to the curved surface of a vessel. Moreover, if the brush is used incorrectly, the already painted Kurezu lines will become blurred or smeared.
The hardness of the paint is also important.

If the paint is too loose, it will drip from the inclination of the vessel, and if the paint is too heavy, it will be difficult to apply.

While I was impressed by the delicate work, I was also touched by Tatsuya's friendly personality as he joked, “Surprisingly, I am surprised at my ability to do overglaze painting while talking.
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What is passed down from generation to generation
What we value

We were also shown something called nenshi.

Nenshi is used to draw the same overglaze painting on a vessel of the same shape. The composition and pattern of the overglaze painting are drawn on the nenshi with sumi ink, which is then pasted on the vessel. Then, the ink is applied to the vessel like a stamp, and the composition and the picture can be determined. Based on the area, the overglaze painting is done with gozu or Japanese pigments. The sumi ink disappears after firing.

Nenkishi can be used many times once it is made. It is also useful when making multiple pieces of the same item, and the same overglaze painting can be done with this nengami even after decades have passed. There are still many nengami from the previous generation, and they are carefully passed down from generation to generation.
In addition to the nengami, the shop also has each generation's drawing, which is used as the basis for the design and composition of the overglaze paintings.

These are five types of sake cups that have been made for many years since the time of the previous generation.

They are still popular today. I draw them over and over again, but I don't think the creator should get tired of it. There are many people who have yet to encounter Kutaniyaki. This long-loved design connects me with such people. So I don't think I should let it end on its own.
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What is Kutani ware
Type of Kutani Styles
Type of Kutani kilns