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The Art of Japanese Ceramics

Mikami Tsugio

First English Edition.; Volume 29 of The Heibonsha Survey of Japanese Art.; This introduction to the ceramic art of Japan has four major purposes: to recount the history of the art, to reveal the special qualities that contribute to the uniqueness of Japanese ceramics, to explore the intimate relationship between ceramics and the daily life of the Japanese people, and to discuss the outstanding traditional ceramic types and techniques.

These purposes are ably accomplished by the lucidly written text and the generous selection of 44 photographs in full color and 164 in black and white. In tracing the long and colorful development of ceramic art in Japan, always with attention to the social scene of which it has been a part, the book presents not only such universally famous wares as Kakiemon, Imari, and Kutani but also the lesser-known yet equally interesting wares of earlier ages, including the products of the 'six ancient kilns' and the pottery associated with the origins of the tea ceremony. The author is singularly successful in conveying to the reader his own enchantment with traditional Japanese ceramics and his appreciation of their aesthetic values. At the same time, his book provides an excellent background for the study of present-day Japanese ceramics, which command no less admiration than the celebrated wares of bygone days.

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