Kenzan Ogata

A ceramic artist and painter from the mid-Edo period. He was born as the third son of the Ogata family, Kariganeya, one of Kyoto's leading kimono merchants. His given name was Shinsho, and he was also known as Gonpei and Koreyoshi. Ogata Korin was his second elder brother. Though they grew up in wealthy merchant families, neither of them became merchants themselves, instead they focused on acquiring cultural knowledge and enjoying free lives. In 1689 (Genroku 2), at the age of 27, Kenzan established a bookshop called Shusei-do in Narabigaoka, Rakusei, and began his life as a man of letters. Nearby was Omuro ware, where the renowned Nonomura Ninsei was active, and while visiting this kiln, he decided to become a potter himself. In 1599, he received the secret teachings of the pottery techniques from the second Ninsei, built a kiln in nearby Narutaki Izumidani, and began his full-fledged life as a potter. As this kiln was located in the direction of Inui in Kyoto, he named the kiln "Kenzan" and used it as the trademark for its products and as his own pen name. Although Kenzan learned techniques from Ninsei, he did not inherit Ninsei's style, but instead succeeded in brilliantly creating designs in the style of revived Yamato-e painting known as the Rinpa school, which was founded by his brother Korin, and was able to establish his own family. His decorative painting style, which uses iron painting and blue and white porcelain on a white background, is truly elegant and refined, and his elegant style shines with individuality. He also signs his own name, "Kenzan," in his own handwriting instead of that of his teacher, demonstrating the same artistic consciousness as the painter.

His pottery making entered its second period in 1712 (Shotoku 2) when he moved his kiln from Narutaki to Nijo Chojio-cho in the city, but it can be said that the pottery industry went into a slump when Korin, who had been involved in painting, died in 1716 (Kyoho 1). However, looking at his remains, in addition to his specialties of white-finished iron-glazed porcelain and blue-and-white porcelain, he also created new innovations in colored painting, imitated Chinese, Korean, and Dutch pottery, and was the first potter to fire porcelain in Kyoto. Few potters were as committed to the advancement of new technology as he was. His ambitious spirit is overflowing in "Toko Hitsuyo," which he wrote in 1702 (Genbun 2) at the age of 75. He moved to Edo in the middle of the Kyoho era (1716-1736) and spent his later years there, passing away on June 2, 1703 at the age of 81. In his later years, he left behind many masterpieces of painting, and he boasted of being a protector of Kyoto culture, signing his own work as "Shisui Shinko" (Deep Reflection in Purple and Green).

[Yoshiaki Yabe]

"Complete Collection of Japanese Ceramics 28: Kenzan and Koshimizu" edited by Masahiko Sato (1975, Chuokoron-Shinsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸中期の陶芸家、画師。京都屈指の呉服商雁金屋(かりがねや)尾形家の三男として生まれる。名は深省。権平、惟允とも称した。尾形光琳(こうりん)は彼の次兄である。富裕な商家に育ちながら2人とも商人にはならず、もっぱら文化的な素養を身につけ、自由な生活を楽しんだ。1689年（元禄2）27歳のとき乾山は洛西(らくせい)双ヶ岡(ならびがおか)に習静堂という一書屋を構えて文人生活に入っている。近くに高名な野々村仁清(ののむらにんせい)が活躍する御室(おむろ)焼があり、この窯に遊ぶうちに陶工になる決意を固め、99年に2代仁清より陶法の秘伝を受け、近くの鳴滝泉谷(なるたきいずみだに)に窯を築いて本格的な製陶生活に入った。この窯が京都の乾(いぬい)の方角にあたるため「乾山」を窯の名につけ、その製品の商標、さらに彼自身も雅号に用いている。乾山は仁清に技術を学びながら、その様式を継承することをせず、兄光琳の創始した琳派(りんぱ)とよばれる復興大和絵(やまとえ)の画風をみごとに意匠化することに成功し、一家をなすことができた。白化粧地に鉄絵や染付を使って表す装飾画風はまことに雅趣に満ち、瀟洒(しょうしゃ)な作風は個性に輝いており、製品には師のかわりに「乾山」と筆で自署するのも画師と同じ芸術家意識を表している。

　1712年（正徳2）に鳴滝から市中の二条丁字尾町に窯を移した時期から、彼の作陶は第2期に入るが、16年（享保1）に絵付に参画した光琳が死亡したころは、陶業は不振をきたしたといえる。しかし彼の遺品をみると、得意とする白化粧地鉄絵、染付のほか、色絵にも新機軸を生み出し、中国、朝鮮、オランダの陶芸を模倣し、京都では初めて磁器を焼出するなど、彼ほど新技術の進取に取り組んだ陶工も少ない。その意欲的な精神は75歳の37年（元文2）に著した『陶工必用』に横溢(おういつ)している。享保(きょうほう)（1716～36）の中ごろに江戸に赴き、晩年はこの地で送り、寛保(かんぽう)3年6月2日、81歳で没したが、晩境にあっては絵画に名作を多く残し、「京兆」「平安城」を冠称して「紫翠(しすい)深省」と自署し、自ら京都文化の保持者であることを誇示した。

［矢部良明］

『佐藤雅彦編『日本陶磁全集28　乾山　古清水』（1975・中央公論社）』

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