Each piece in this collection has a delicate design of plum branches with a low-relief texture, overlapped by intersecting lines intended to resemble cracked ice on frozen water. The signature on the base is in gold pigment. Although Yohei II created many beautiful underglaze blue pieces similar to Kiyomizu Shichibei's works, he also produced items in different styles throughout his later career, starting from around 1873. In that year, Yohei II was appointed as a supplier to the Industrial Center of Kyoto Prefecture, a title linked to Kyoto's aim to reach an international market through Kobe's port. From 1875 until his death, he worked on national projects to present Japanese ceramics worldwide. During this time, Yohei III was an apprentice to Yohei II, and it is speculated that this set might be an early example of Yohei III's work, which he signed using his teacher's name. The designs on this set feature flowers resembling Japanese textile patterns, evoking the style of Yohei II's plum blossom vases at the Victoria and Albert Museum. In the exhibition setting, formal trees have been transformed into the approachable blossoms found in a private home. Although the designs are consistent among the pieces, each raised flower petal and pistil, as well as each incised line in the ice, were made by hand, resulting in unique cups, bowls, and dishes. The bottoms of two bowls:
Each item in this set has a delicate low-relief design of flowering plum branches over scattered, intersecting lines meant to resemble the cracked-ice surface of a frozen body of water and is signed on the base in gold pigment. While Yohei II produced many fine works in underglaze blue, like those produced by Kiyomizu Shichibei, he also made works in quite different styles later in his career, from the early 1870 s. In 1873, he was appointed purveyor to the Industrial Center of Kyoto Prefecture, a designation associated with Kyoto’s efforts to reach an international market through the port of Kobe; and from 1875 until his death, he was involved in national-level projects to present Japanese ceramics across the world. It was during this period that Yohei III was apprenticed to Yohei II, and it has been suggested that this set may in fact be an early example of Yohei III’s work, which he signed with his teacher’s name. Decorated with flowers resembling Japanese textile motifs, the set calls to mind the design of Yohei II’s pair of vases with plum blossoms in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Here, the elaborate trees created for a formal public exhibition setting have been translated into the approachable blossoms of the genteel domestic environment. While the designs are consistent across the pieces, each raised flower petal and pistil and each incised line in the ice was done by hand, so the cups, bowls, and dishes are similar yet unique.
View the original at Cleveland Museum of Art →Article 1 states the aim as a beautiful and dignified national land, and it covers not only cities but farming, mountain and fishing villages. Inside a landscape planning area, Article 16 requires advance notification of new building, extension, rebuilding, relocation, and any repair or alteration that changes the exterior. Landscape Districts go further and impose direct restrictions on the form and design of buildings.
The cool part. Read Article 16 to the end of the sentence. A change of colour is listed alongside new construction as an act you must notify. Repainting your building is, in law, the same category of event as putting up a new one. This is the machinery behind the muted shopfronts of Kyoto. The brown coffee-shop sign is not a marketing choice, it is compliance.
Verify at e-Gov 法令検索 →Use it Two-colour foil on uncoated stock gets you most of this at production cost.
Description source: museum curator text, translated — not generated