23. Seifu Yohei

SEIFU YOHEI

清風 与平

Seifu Yohei is a family workshop of several generations of potters and ceramic artists, all working in Kyoto. The first Seifu Yohei was born in 1801, the last known representative is Seifu Yohei V, who died in 1991. All of them were very skilled craftsmen in their fields. However, it is especially Sofei Yohei III who is best known.

SSeifu Yohei I was born in 1801 as the son of Yasuda Yahei, assumably a samurai in Kanazawa. He began his training in ceramic arts in 1815, as an apprentice of Ninnami Dohachi (1783 -1855).  After his study Ninnami Dohachi allowed him to build a kiln in the Sanyaso district in Fushimi Momoyama, south of Kyoto, where he mainly produced raku ware. In 1828 he moved his business to Gojozaka, Kyoto and concentrated on kinrande ware, as well as celadon and blue and white porcelain. In 1847 he was ordered by the Daimyo of Bizen to instruct the artisans at the local kilns the art and production of blue-and-white porcelain and various types of stoneware. He died in 1861.

Seifū Yohei III (1858-1914)

Seifu Yohei III was born in 1851 Harima, now Hyogo Prefecture. His real name was Okada Heikichi. He was the second son of the painter Okada Ryōhei and studied ceramic art with Tanomura Chokunyū (1814-1907) in Osaka. In 1866,when he was 15 years old, Okada Heikichi started his career as a apprentice at Seifu Yohei II workshop. In 1871 he was accomplished and was allowed to call himself an independent ceramic artist. Heikichi married Seifu Kuma, a younger sister of Yohei II in 1872. From that time he called himself Shinka Seizan. After the death of Seifu Yohei II in 1878, he took over the family business and became Seifu Yohei III. Seifu Yohei III became famous for his beautiful celadon products, and for ivory-white wares with delicate carvings, covered with a transparent, slightly pink tinted glaze and overglaze polychrome decorations. He also devoted himself to the development of new types of clay and glazes, and studied and wrote about Chinese porcelain techniques.In contrast to many other artists of his time Seifu Yohei III work was not especially made for export but designed according to Japanese taste and also sold and admired within Japan. Seifu Yohei III was a very celebrated artist. He won numerous prizes including the itto myogi shohai (first prize for technical excellence) at the third National Industrial Exposition in 1890, and was represented with three pieces at the Chicago World Fair in 1893. Seifū Yohei III became the first ceramicist to be awarded the prestigious title of Imperial Household Artist in 1893 and received another Imperial distinction in 1895, the Green Ribbon. Although in the west Miyagawa Kozan is generally considered to be the best ceramic artist of his time, in Japan however this honour is attributed to Seifu Yohei III.

He became Seifu Yohei IV in 1914 when he was 42 years old but already in the years before he played an important role in the Seifu workshop. A number of works attributed to Seifu Yohei III were probably completed by Yohei IV and he used the seal of Yohei III for five years after his succession. Seifu Yohei III left him a fortune but also the distinctive styles and modern technical foundations for ceramic production in his kiln. Although Seifu Yohei IV was a very skillful ceramic artist, it must be said that the true innovations in design, glazes and technic was inherited from his father. Seifu Yohei IV died in 1951.

Seifu Yohei V (1921-1991)

Seifu Yohei V was born in 1921. Although he did a lot of work independently, he is best known for his collaboration with Tsukinowa Yusen (1908-1998) in the 1970s. Both were painters and potters, but in this co-operation Yuzen supplied the pots that were painted by Seifu Yohei V. Yohei did not always sign this work, but because of his style it is always recognizable. His work is characterized by busy paintings, in which open spaces were often filled with calligraphed poetry. Seifu Yohei V died in 1991. We do not know if a sixth generation is still working after the death of Seifu Yohei V.