Japanese ceramics of Toyotomi Hideyoshi period (1585-1598): politics, economy and arts

The article is devoted to the history of Japanese ceramics of the second quarter of the XVI century and to the role of ToyotomiHideyoshi (15371598), his personality, domestic and foreign policy in the Japanese ceramics art prosperity. Among the cultural and ideological reasons of this prosperity the increasing social role of tea-ceremony, Sen tea-school formation and aesthetics development are examined. Economical and political causes of ceramics manufacturing extension are also analyzed. The author traced three aspects of ToyotomiHideyoshi impact on XVI century ceramics. The first mentioned is his patronage motivated with personal preferences. The best-known protection was rendered to Kyoto Raku family through intermediary of Sen-no Rikyu, his tea-master. Bizen (Okayama) workshops were solid with Hideyoshi as well. Both Raku and Bizen workshops suffered various difficulties after warlord's death as they were associated with strife and conquered Toyotomy clan during the Tokugawa shogunate. The second mentioned aspect was the number of legends and stories about Hideyoshi's appraising of some pieces, presented or shown to him. There are not any documental evidences about a body of Hideyoshi's private pottery collection but some legends survived. The most well known is one about Ido tea bowl, which was broken and repaired in kintsugi technique with golden urushi lacquer (called “Tsutsuizutsu”). The bowl was presented to the warlord and then was stoed in the teahouse of his Osaka castle. Although the origins and history of Korean Ido pottery are still not clear, the bowls of simple utilitarian shapes with crackled glaze were distinguished as the brightest embodiment of Japanese “wabi” aesthetics. The third group of facts effected ceramics production in Japan consists of domestic political and economical changes and Hideyoshi's foreign policy. Among them  economical effects of Sengoku Jidai troublous times and invasions of Korea in 15921598 (Imjin War) which caused the deportation of Korean potters to the Kyushu island provinces. On the one hand Korean migrants initiated a great number of ceramics and porcelain manufactories with progressive glazing and firing techniques. On the other, the war-time disgraces and deprivations of property caused some old workshops closing down, as it took place in Karatsu on Kyushu island. Growing social need in ceramic wares coincided with the renovation of the ceramics manufacturing during the period of Toyotomi Hideyoshi administration. The epoch can be defined as the defining moment in the formation of Japanese pottery technological base and stylistical originality.