Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/388

 turned out pieces combining the graces of the Japanese school with the brilliancy of Chinese polychromatic porcelain. Just then, however, the factories of the Celestial Kingdom, under the munificent patronage of the Emperor Chien-lung, were producing wares not unworthy of their ancient fame; and side by side with these the inferiority of the Japanese keramist's enamels became easily apparent. The Shōgun, therefore, commissioned the Governor of Nagasaki to procure from Ching-tê-chên the recipes used at the Imperial factory, together with a supply of the best materials. It is not easy to conceive by what means these instructions were carried out, but the Governor seems to have experienced no difficulty, for within a year he forwarded to Yedo all that was required. With this aid Gozaemon's success was more marked than ever. The best connoisseurs could scarcely distinguish his pieces from Chinese porcelain decorated with red and green enamels of the Wan-li period (1573-1620), though indeed it must be confessed that the models he copied did not exhibit any very remarkable degree of keramic skill. His imitations of Delft faience, too, were certainly quite as good as the very inferior specimens of that ware which found their way to Japan; but his achievements in this line need not occupy attention. He was at his best when, departing from his models, he combined brilliantly glazed surfaces with chaste floral decoration in the pure Japanese style. He imitated everything, from the rude faiences of Korea and the soft colours of so-called "Cochin-China" ware to the severest styles of Ninsei and Kenzan. He generally marked his pieces Banko (ever-lasting or enduring), sometimes, however, adding Fuyeki (changeless). His