Japanese porcelain and Imari
By C.C. (Camille) Verkoulen
The beginning of the Japanese porcelain industry dates back around 1610-1615, with the help of Korean potters. As a source of inspiration for the decoration of Japanese porcelain, the Korean potters had influence but also the Chinese porcelain was an inspiration and soon dominated. Due to the upcoming popularity of porcelain in Japan (mainly blue and white) the Chinese entered the market. From around 1620 to 1650 Chinese porcelain was imported to Japan. This mainly consisted of Chinese Tianqi porcelain (not necessarily for export) and ko-sometsuke (Chinese porcelain produced for the Japanese export). There was a particular reason why the import was stopped then. In China at this time, the Qing dynasty (1368-1644) came to an end resulting in civil wars and unrest in China. The production of porcelain stagnated while there was enormous demand. This also hit upon the Dutch, which were shipped large quantities of Chinese porcelain for decades throughout Asia and Europe. They turned to Japan for their supplies. At this time, the Japanese porcelain industry in Arita was already more developed and was making porcelain of comparable quality.
The Dutch wanted to get porcelain what they knew they could sell, resulting in Japanese porcelain in Wanli or Transitional style. These are blue and white wares. On the other hand, the Kakiemon and Imari styles emerged. While all blue and white, and Imari decorated porcelain was produced in Arita, the blue and white Japanese porcelain was called ‘Arita ware’ in the west, while the blue, red and gold decorated Japanese porcelain was called after the town Imari, which served as an export port for the Japanese porcelain.
When around 1660 the Qing dynasty in China was established by emperor Kangxi (1661-1722), the Chinese porcelain industry revived, Dutch East India Company again started importing porcelain from China, but still the Japanese porcelain was in demand and thus the trade with Japan continued. From the 1720s, the Chinese had arrogated the European market by copying the Japanese-style Chinese Imari. By the 1740s, the Chinese were dominating the European market even more and the export of porcelain from Arita stagnated for economic reasons. Still, Imari porcelain was very popular in Europe, but it was quite scares due to the relative high price for the Dutch East India Company. The Delft potters responded and also started to create Delftware with Imari colors and decorations in the later 1700’s. In this was the Imari style survived and remained popular in Europe during the entire 18th century.
Source:
M. Lerner, “Blue and white early Japanese export ware”, 1978.
B.B. Ford & R.I. Oliver, “Japanese art from the Gerry collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art”, 1989.
C.J.A. Jörg, “Oosters porselein, Delfts aardewerk, wisselwerkingen”, 1983.