Eiraku Hozen (永樂保全)
Hozen EIRAKU (1795-September 16, 1854) was a ceramic artist of kyo-yaki (Kyoto style ceramic art) who was active during the nineteenth century. He was Zengoro the eleventh, a master of doburo (a ceramic portable stove for boiling water to make tea) which was one of senke jisshoku (the ten artisan families which contributed to the existence of the Omote). His childhood name was Sentaro, and around 1806 he was adopted by Ryozen EIRAKU, Zengoro the tenth.
In 1817 he succeeded to the professional name of Zengoro the eleventh; in 1827, he was invited to kaiyo (formation of kiln) of oniwa-yaki (literally, "ware of honorable park") at Nishihama Goten Palace by the tenth lord of the Kishu Domain, Harutomi TOKUGAWA, where his work won an award, and he received a gold seal of 'kahinshiryu' (literally, "a riverside of the Yellow River and a tributary of the river") and a silver seal of 'Eiraku.'
This is the origin of the last name of Eiraku. In 1843, he passed on the name Zengoro to his son, Wazen EIRAKU, and called himself Zenichiro, and in 1848 he changed his name to Yasutake (written as 保全, which can also be read as Hozen). As such, after his death he was called Hozen to be distinguished from others named Zengoro.
He was active in a separate line from other kyo-yaki arists such as Eisen OKUDA and Eisen's apprentices, Kamesuke KINKO, Mokubei AOKI, and Dohachi NINAMI.
For a long time he was active in Kyoto; later he positively engaged in creating potteries even after he left Kyoto, in areas such as Otsu City and Takatsuki City, Settsu Province. According to one theory, one of the reasons for his leaving Kyoto was that he did not get along well with his son, Wazen EIRAKU.
Works and style
Other than doburo which he created as Zengoro the doburo master, there are various works of tea bowls, mukozuke (a dish placed on the far side of the rice and soup), and futamono (a lidded dish). He worked on both earthenware and porcelain such as koshi-yaki (koshi pottery), annan-yaki, and kinrande (ceramics with gold patterns); both his original works and reproductions (copy, haiku (a Japanese poem in seventeen syllables having a 5-7-5 syllabic form and traditionally containing a reference to the seasons) include many grate pieces. Especially his copied works show a polished and high-quality finished form.
Brief personal history
He was born in 1795 as Sentaro. Some say that his birthplace was a textile store in Kyoto.
Around this time in 1806, he was adopted by Zengoro the tenth (Ryozen EIRAKU).
In 1817, he succeeded to the professional name of Zengoro the eleventh. He married for the first time.
In 1818 a girl was born, but his wife died later.
During 1819 and 1822, he remarried a daughter of the Kimura clan, Mukade-ya (a pharmacy), in which he had served in childhood.
In 1823, the first son Sentaro (later Wazen EIRAKU) was born.
In 1825, his wife (Wazen EIRAKU's mother) died. Since then, Hozen did not remarry.
In 1827, he was invited to kaiyo of oniwa-yaki by the lord of the Kishu Domain, Harutomi TOKUGAWA, where he received a silver seal of "Eiraku".
In 1843, he passed on the name Zengoro to his son, Wazen EIRAKU, and called himself Zenichiro.
In 1848, he changed his name to Yasutake.
In 1851, he started konan-yaki in Otsu City.
In 1852, he was invited by Naoteru NAGAI, the lord of Takatsuki-jo Castle, and established takatsuki-yo (pottery).
In April, 1854, his home was completely destructed by fire at the Kyoto Imperial Palace. In September, he died at the age of sixty.