Selected masterpieces from the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka: Ōsaka Shiritsu Tōyō Tōji Bijutsukan korekushon sen

Uittreksel

"The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, was opened to the public in November, 1982 in Nakanoshima, the heart of the city of Osaka. Its core collection is the Ataka Collection, mainly comprising Chinese and Korean ceramics, which has been donated to Osaka City by the twenty one companies of the Sumitomo Group. It is renowned as the world-class collection of East-Asian ceramics. In 1999, the museum opened an annex in order to exhibit ceramic works, including the collection of Korean ceramics donated by Dr. Rhee Byung-chang as well as Japanese ceramics. It continues to develop its quality as a unique museum specializing in Asian ceramics. The main reason for the high international reputation of the Ataka Collection probably lays in its philosophy of collecting. As the overall picture of the value of Chinese and Korean ceramics gradually became clear since around the latter half of the 19th century, scholars and collectors began to show interest in East-Asian ceramics. It can be said that the Ataka Collection, is a 'reassembly' of the East-Asian ceramics collection compiled in between the latter half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century by Ataka's predecessors, under the strong influence of 'modernist' aesthetic values. Unlike the conventional values that had often been associated with the provenance of Japanese tea bowls and utensils, the decorative aspect of European trade ware or the high craftsmanship of Chinese Qing ceramics, the Ataka Collection was intended for pure appreciation of the art works from the aspects of form, glaze color and decoration, which is closer to the attitude of art appreciation of the modern times. This catalog introduces the Asian ceramics from the aesthetic aspect. The works illustrated here are all notable pieces carefully selected from the collection of the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, representing the artistic charm of Asian ceramics."-- Foreword, Tetsurō Degawa.