Aoki Mokubei

A Kyoto literati potter and Nanga painter who represents the late Edo period. Born in 1762 at the teahouse "Kiya" in Gion Nawate, Kyoto, as the son of Aoki Sahei. Commonly known as Kimura Sahei, his pen names included Mokubei, Seirai, Hyakurokusan (San)jin, Kokikan, Kujuurin, and Robei. The reason why Mokubei, who was the son of a wealthy family, chose the path of a potter was because he read "Tosetsu" (The Theory of Pottery) by Shuryutei of the Chinese Qing Dynasty at the home of Kimura Kenkado, a literati in Osaka. He also visited Kyoto's Kofuyo, who was skilled in calligraphy and painting, and received instruction in painting and calligraphy. It is said that Mokubei also mastered metal casting techniques, as he was so fond of old bronze vessels and coins. Growing up, Mokubei was fully immersed in the Sinocentric interest that was popular in the late Edo period, and acquired a wide range of skills in calligraphy, painting, and crafts, but ultimately his talents were narrowed down to Southern painting and ceramics, primarily utensils for Sencha tea ceremony. As a potter, Mokubei studied under Okuda Eisen, who lived at Kenninji Temple, and applied the porcelain manufacturing techniques pioneered by Eisen to Sencha tea ceremony utensils. He also adopted the techniques and styles of Chinese blue and white porcelain, red porcelain, celadon, and Kochi ware, while also incorporating the styles of Nanban ware (yakishimedo from Southeast Asia) and ceramics from the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, leaving behind a wide variety of pottery typical of the late Edo period. In 1824 (Bunsei 7), at the age of 58, when his painting and ceramics were at their most mature, he became deaf and began using the name Roumei. In the Southern painting, he is famous for his works such as "Rabbit's Path in the Morning", "New Green in the Rain", and "Tall Dragon Landscape". He died on May 15, 1830.

[Yoshiaki Yabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸後期を代表する京都の文人陶工、南画家。明和4年京都祇園縄手(ぎおんなわて)の茶屋「木屋」に青木佐兵衛の子として生まれる。通称木村佐兵衛、号は木米のほか青来、百六山（散）人、古器観、九々鱗、聾米(ろうべい)など数多い。富裕な家系の子弟である木米が陶工の道を選んだ動機は、大坂の文人木村蒹葭堂(けんかどう)宅で中国清(しん)朝の朱笠亭(しゅりゅうてい)の著『陶説』を閲読したことによる。また書画に巧みな京都の高芙蓉(こうふよう)を訪ねて絵画や書の手ほどきを受けたらしい。木米は古銅器や古銭をも賞翫(しょうがん)するあまり鋳金技術も習得していたといわれている。江戸後期に流行した中国趣味に存分に浸って成長した木米は、書画、工芸諸般の技術を体得したが、結果としては南画と煎茶(せんちゃ)道具を主体とする陶磁器に彼の才能は絞られていった。陶工としての木米は、建仁寺に住んでいた奥田穎川(えいせん)に師事し、穎川の始めた磁器製法を煎茶道具に応用し、中国の染付(そめつけ)、赤絵、青磁、交趾(こうち)焼の技術と様式を受け止めつつ、南蛮焼（東南アジアの焼締陶(やきしめとう)）、朝鮮李朝(りちょう)時代の陶磁の作風も加味して、江戸後期らしい多種多彩な焼物を残した。1824年（文政7）58歳のころ、彼の作画や作陶がもっとも円熟した時期に、耳が不自由になり聾米の号を使い始めた。南画では『兎道朝潡図(うじちょうとんず)』『新緑帯雨図』『騰竜山水図』などが有名。天保(てんぽう)4年5月15日没。

［矢部良明］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例