Vintage KUJAKU glazed pottery teabowl by Matsuyama Shoki #5041

height: approx. 7.1cm (2 51⁄64in)

width: approx. 12.9cm (5 5⁄64in)

weight: 260g (gross 573g)

We looked into Matsuyama Shoki's background but were unable to find out his birth year. The kiln mark and family name used indicate that the artist is a relative of Matsuyama Gaei.

Matsuyama Shoki
male
kujyaku pottery

Biography.
Began making ceramics while studying at the Faculty of Law, Kansai University.
Built a studio at his current location in 1974 and began making ceramics.
Made 3,500 sake cups at the Portopia Expo, commissioned by Hyogo Prefecture (3,500 pieces).
Made ceramic walls for the Tsutazawa branch of the Yamazaki Agricultural Co-operative
Delivered two large vases for the graduation ceremony of Tatsuno High School
Solo exhibitions: in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Amagasaki, Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hakata, etc.

Awards and affiliations
Awarded a prize at the Asia Art Fellowship Exhibition in 1986.

Matsuyama Gaei 1st
1916-1963
male
kujaku pottery

After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, the first generation Matsuyama Gaei went to mainland China as consul, where he was awed by the pottery he saw and took up studying the craft. In 1947, Matsuyama returned to Japan, where he built a kiln in Tatsunocho-Tominaga, Hyogo Prefecture. Under the guidance of Kiyomizu Rokubey from Kyoto, Matsuyama began his rise as a pottery craftsman.
Matsuyama moved his kiln to Kamikajo Town in 1950, where he completed his yohen temoku glaze the following year and produced his kujaku pottery.

In 1963, the first generation Gaei Matsuyama suffered a stomach disease and instructed his wife Tsutako in the art of Yohen Kujaku Tenmoku glaze before passing away.
In the following year, Tsutako inherited the name of the second generation Gaei Matsuyama and continued producing pottery. She had many of her works displayed as personal exhibitions at art museums in France.
Currently, Tsutako’s oldest daughter, Kazuko, is the successor of the third generation Matsuyama Gaei and continues to produce pottery. Unfortunately, the kujaku furnace is expected to finally retire in the third generation.