ong considered as one of the most influential post-war artists from the Kyoto pottery scene, Tomimoto Kenkichi has been canonized into the modern history of Japanese pottery as the father of modern ceramics. Born in Nara in 1886, he was designated a Living National Treasure in 1955 for his technical innovations in porcelain & stoneware. He was the first potter ever to be designated the title.

Tomimoto trained initially as an architect and interior designer, and following his graduation, he travelled to London (1908-1910) where he spent some time sketching in the Victoria and Albert Museum. This was his first exposure to the work of Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743) and to seeing ceramics as ‘art objects’, beyond functional ceramics. He returned to Japan in 1910, and at a raku firing, he met and befriended Bernard Leach. Together they both experimented and developed their ceramic skills. He taught and worked in Tokyo (1913-1926) where he coined the phrase ‘Never develop a pattern from a pattern’, an expression emphasizing originality. He travelled extensively during this time and continued to develop his skills by visiting ceramic production centres across Japan. This included time in Kanazawa where he specifically studied the production of red-ground Kutani ware. Finally, he ended up teaching and working in Kyoto (1946-1963) where he developed the body of richly ornamented work that he is best known for today.

The covered jar from 1956 in the exhibition is from his Kyoto period where the richness of the old Imperial traditions is reflected in the rich colouration and precious metal decoration of the piece. It is covered with his fern leaf pattern that first appeared on his work in the 1950s and is perhaps the most elegant of all his patterns. Very little of his work appears outside Japan and a signature piece like this is a great rarity.