Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/362

 procured the services of a potter named Gombei Shigiyoshi a native of Nagato (Chōshū), where he had studied the art under a Korean, Korai-zaemon. This man set up a kiln at Rakuzan, in the Nishika-watsu district, and using materials partly imported from Nagato and partly found in the neighbourhood manufactured a faience which received the name of Rakuzan-yaki. Intended for the use of the tea-clubs, and faithful, for the most part, to Korean models, this Rakuzan-yaki had few features of interest. Occasionally, however, a specimen is found that recalls the work of Seto experts. Gombei's reputation, from an artistic point of view, is founded on a rich brown, or chocolate, glaze powdered with golden speckles, which he is said to have introduced. This is an imitation of the beautiful nasbiji (pear-skin-ground) seen in aventurine lacquer. It was esteemed one of the chefs-d'œuvre of the Rakuzan factory, and justly so, for chocolate glaze clouded with amber and flecked with glittering dust was undoubtedly a beautiful conception. If Gombei introduced this glaze, he cannot be said to have invented it. Its prototype is to be found among the productions of the Chinese keramists during the Ming period. Further, there is even reason to doubt whether he introduced it, some virtuosi holding that it was first introduced nearly a century later at the Fujina factory (vide infra). Gombei died in 1694, and was succeeded by his pupil Kada Hanroku, who had come with him from Nagato. On Kata's death (about 1720), the Rakuzan factory ceased to work.

A factory of later date but greater repute was established at Fujina (in the same province) by Funaki Yajibei, in 1764. According to local records,