An Exhibition of Ceramics of the Meiji, Taisho and early Showa
Consulate-General of Japan, Melbourne, 7 May to 7 July 2025
This exhibition presents a selection of Meiji (1868-1912), Taishō (1912-1926) and early Showa (1926-1989) Period Japanese ceramics, celebrating a moment of extraordinary innovation and artistry in Japan’s ceramic history.
On view are works by Meiji Period master potters designated as ‘Teishitsu Gigei-in’ - Imperial Household Artists, including Seifū Yōhei III, Suwa Sōzan I, and Itō Tōzan I, as well as earlier pioneers such as Kanzan Denshichi, who laid the groundwork for a new Imperial aesthetic. These artists brought Japanese ceramics into a new era under the visionary leadership of Emperor Meiji, absorbing and mastering newly imported European technologies in glaze chemistry, high-temperature firing, and also new European design, while maintaining a deeply rooted Japanese sensibility.
Also featured is the work of a group of Taishō and early Shōwa ceramicists, whose bold experimentation marks the emergence of modernism in Japanese clay. Together, these works chart a fascinating artistic evolution - one in which tradition and innovation coexist with quiet brilliance—and invite viewers to appreciate the beauty, technical virtuosity, cross-cultural exchange and cultural nuance that define a pivotal moment in Japan’s ceramic legacy.
