[Masayuki IMAI] (1930-)
A Japanese potter.
Masayuki was born in Osaka however he evacuated to his father’s hometown, Takehara of Horoshima prefecture to avoid the maelstrom of war, and spend his childhood there. After his graduation from Takehara Industrial High school, he aimed to be a potter and studied pottery methods under some potters including Bizen ware potter Ousai Suzuki.
In 1952, he moved to Kyoto and refined his skills under a skillful Kyo ware potter, Seiryudo Katsuo, and joined the establishment of “Seitokai” (a potter’s association) centered upon Yaichi Kusube in the following year.
He won his first won at the Nitten Exhivition in 1953, and won a special prize for twice in 1959 and 1963. Masayuki became a regular member of Nitten in 1966 then after that he has exhibited his works in the Nitten Exhibition as a main artist of the exhibition. His works has been displayed in other exhibitions in and out of the country and they are also highly evaluated in other countries.
Masayuki established the technique of inlaid work in various motives such as flower, fish, birds and bugs.
[Oribe ware]
One style of Japanese pottery created in Mino area in Gifu prefecture between the end of 16th century and the early 17th century. One kind of Mino ware.
The history had began in the and of 16th century when Oribe FURUTA, a Japanese feudal lord and a tea master who was a discipline of Sen no Rikyu let potters create tea utensils in his favor. Potters created his favored tea utensils which had unique shapes and paintings. Oribe ware was quite eccentric and original at that time because generally the style of Oribe is deformed and polygon.
The major color of Oribe ware is black, deep green and red. They are decided into Oribe kuro (or Kuro(black) Oribe), Ao(blue) Oribe, Aka (red) Oribe, Shino Oribe and so on depends on color of glazes and other characteristics.
Most of Oribe Kuro (Kuro Oribe) products are chawans, and other Oribe ware are mostly table wares.