Nonomura Ninsei - Nonomura Ninsei

Dates of birth and death unknown. A master craftsman of Kyo-yaki in the early Edo period (late 17th century). Said to have been from Nonomura, Tamba Province (Kyoto Prefecture), his real name was Seiemon. He trained early in Awataguchi, Kyoto, and then went to Seto to study tea ceremony ceramics. After returning to Kyoto, he was recommended by tea master Kanamori Sowa to open a kiln in front of the gate of Ninnaji Temple in Omuro, western Kyoto. He was given the name Ninsei by the head priest of the temple, combining the "Nin " from Ninnaji and the "Sei" from Seiemon, and used this as his signature mark thereafter.

Ninsei's name first appeared in a document from the second year of the Keian era (1649). Most of his works were tea utensils and kaiseki ware, and at the time the trend was already shifting from the traditional "wabi-sabi" style to an ornate tea ceremony style that matched "kirei sabi," so he caught on to this trend brilliantly, mastering the overglaze painting technique that had already been attempted in Kyoto, and gained immense acclaim as a potter at the forefront of the new style. Sowa played a major role as his leader, and tea ware was fired almost exclusively in accordance with Sowa's preferred aesthetic of "kirei sabi." By the time Sowa died in 1656 (2nd year of the Meireki era), he had perfected the overglaze painting technique, and it is believed that Ninsei's heyday was from the 1660s to 1670s. Many of Ninsei's representative overglaze ceramics are believed to have been produced during this period, including famous teapots with designs of plum blossoms, wisteria, Mt. Yoshino, young pine trees, and poppy, water jars with designs of plum blossoms, peonies, and chrysanthemums, and incense burners with designs of pheasants and conch shells, many of which have been designated National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. Another distinctive feature of Ninsei's works is the striking design of courtly tastes in shapes and patterns, in response to the needs of tea masters and court attendants.

By 1694 (Genroku 7), the second Seiemon had taken over as head of the family, but his skills were far inferior to those of his predecessor, and it is believed that the Ninsei kiln, also known as Omuro ware, suddenly fell into decline. Therefore, there should be works by the second generation among the relics, but it is unclear which they were. It is believed that a distinction was made between mass-produced and one-off pieces, and most of the surviving relics bearing the "Ninsei" seal were one-off pieces, and it can be seen from a comparison of pottery fragments excavated from the kiln site with handed down pieces that most of the similar pieces have disappeared.

[Yoshiaki Yabe]

"Complete Collection of Japanese Ceramics 27: Ninsei" edited by Masahiko Kawahara (1976, Chuokoron-Shinsha) " "Complete Collection of World Ceramics 6: Edo (1)" edited by Tadanari Mitsuoka (1975, Shogakukan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年未詳。江戸初期（17世紀後半）の京焼の名工。丹波(たんば)国（京都府）野々村の出身と伝えられ、本名は清右衛門(せいえもん)。早くから京都粟田口(あわたぐち)で修業し、ついで瀬戸に赴き茶陶を学んだ。帰洛(きらく)後、茶人金森宗和(かなもりそうわ)の推挙で洛西の御室(おむろ)仁和寺(にんなじ)門前に開窯。門跡から仁和寺の仁と清右衛門の清をとった仁清の号を賜り、以後これを銘印とした。

　仁清の名は慶安(けいあん)2年（1649）の文献に初出する。作品のほとんどが茶器や懐石道具で、当時すでに時流は、従来の「わびさび」から「きれいさび」にかなう華美な茶風に移行し始めていたため、みごとにこの傾向をとらえ、すでに京で試みられていた色絵上絵付(うわえつけ)法を習得し、新様式の頂点にたつ陶工として絶大な声価を得た。その指導者として宗和の存在は大きく、もっぱら宗和好みの「きれいさび」の美意識に基づく茶陶が焼かれた。1656年（明暦2）宗和が没するまでには色絵法を大成し、以後1660年代～70年代が全盛期と推測される。仁清の作陶を代表する色絵陶磁の多くはこの時期の焼造とみられ、梅月・藤(ふじ)・吉野山・若松・芥子(けし)などの茶壺(つぼ)、梅・牡丹(ぼたん)・菊水などの水指(みずさし)、雉子(きじ)や法螺貝(ほらがい)の香炉などが著名で、国宝、重要文化財の指定も多い。茶人や宮方の需要にちなんで形や文様に堂上趣味の意匠の著しいのも仁清作品の特色といえる。

　1694年（元禄7）までには2代清右衛門が家督を継いでいるが、その力量は初代にはるか及ばず、御室焼とも称された仁清窯も一挙に凋落(ちょうらく)したと考えられる。したがって遺品には2代目の作品もあるはずであるが、その弁別は不詳。作品は量産品と一品制作とを区別したものと思われ、現存する「仁清」の捺印(なついん)のある遺品のほとんどは一品制作であり、類型的なものの大半が消失していることが、窯址(ようし)出土の陶片と伝世品との比較から判じられる。

［矢部良明］

『河原正彦編『日本陶磁全集 27　仁清』（1976・中央公論社）』▽『満岡忠成編『世界陶磁全集 6　江戸（1）』（1975・小学館）』

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