Arakawa Toyozō

(1894-1985)

While apprenticing with the celebrated and irascible Kitaōji Rosanjin (1883-1959), ARAKAWA TOYOZŌ discovered the ancient kiln sites at Mino that allowed him to redefine the origins of the Momoyama tea ceremony wares. His most famous discovery was that of true Shino ware shards at Mutabora, where he later built his kiln. Most importantly, his discovery of these old kiln sites allowed Arakawa to successfully replicate the Shino and Oribe glazing techniques of the 16th century, becoming the first modern potter to do so. In 1955, his powerful Momoyama-inspired Shino and Setoguro wares earned him the designation of Living National Treasure for Shino ware, making him the first to be so recognized.

Selected Major Public Collections:
Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum, Nagoya, Japan
Arakawa Toyozō Memorial Museum, Kani, Japan
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, New Zealand
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA
Brooklyn Museum, NY
Gotoh Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Hagi Uragami Museum, Yamaguchi, Japan
Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Japan
Menard Art Museum, Aichi, Japan
Minneapolis Institute of Art, MN
Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu, Japan
Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu, Japan
Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura, Japan
Museum of Modern Art, Hayama, Japan
National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Japan
National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japan
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK