TOKYO.- Fujimoto Yoshimichi (1919-1992) explored ways to depict realistically through porcelain with overglaze enamels and in 1986, he was appointed as a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property in the field of porcelain with overglaze enamels. His main motif in his works was birds and he depicted these subject matters three-dimensionally by the contrast of the pigments. To merge the three-dimensional subject matter with the surface of the white porcelain, Fujimoto created a technique called yūbyōkasai (lit. adding color with painted glaze) which blended the colors of the background, creating a watercolor-like effect.

After studying craft design at the Tokyo Fine Arts School (present-day Tokyo University of the Arts), Fujimoto enrolled at the Craft Technical Training Institute, operated by the Ministry of Education. There, he studied under Tomimoto Kenkichi (1886-1963) and with Kato Hajime (1900-1968), who were later appointed as holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property in the field of porcelain with overglaze enamels. Fujimoto, not having come from a family background in ceramic making, graduated from the Craft Technical Training Institute and continued to create works while holding position as Tomimoto’s assistant, a ceramic designer, and as a teacher. This led Fujimoto to various prefectures in Japan such as from Tokyo to Gifu, Kyoto, Wakayama, and Kagoshima. When Fujimoto was working at Kyoto City University of the Arts, he was a member of avant-garde ceramic groups called Sodeisha (lit. Crawling through Mud Association) and the Modern Art Association, where he became renowned for his sculptural objet works. In 1962, he takes on the role of an assistant professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts and while adjusting to this new environment, gradually begins concentrating on using overglaze enamels.

This exhibition showcases Fujimoto’s works from 1974 up to his last years in 1991.

Fujimoto Yoshimichi and His Path to White Porcelain with Overglaze Enamels

Fujimoto Yoshimichi was born in 1919 in Okubo, Tokyo as the second son of Fujimoto Arichika, who was a secretary at the Ministry of Finance. After his father's death in 1922, he was raised by his grandfather, a lieutenant general in the army. Despite his grandfather's opposition, Fujimoto enrolled in the Tokyo Fine Arts School. There, he studied under Tomimoto Kenkichi and Kato Hajime, both of whom would later be appointed as holders of an Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasures) for their work in white porcelain with overglaze enamels. This led Fujimoto to pursue a career in ceramics. His creative approach—developing designs based on sketches from life—was influenced by Tomimoto’s teaching that “designs should not be made from other designs.” After Fujimoto left the Shinshō Bijutsu Kōgeikai (lit. Fine Arts and Crafts Association), an association centered around Tomimoto, there was a period where Fujimoto explored avant-garde ceramics like those seen in the reference work. In 1962, when Kato Hajime became a professor at Tokyo University of the Arts, Fujimoto joined him as an assistant professor. From there on, Fujimoto devoted himself to researching materials and painting techniques for white porcelain with overglaze enamels.

Realistic Expressions of Overglaze Enamels that Brought Out Depth: Through the Development of Pigments, Glazes, and Painting Techniques

● Development of Intermediate Colors

Traditionally, overglaze enamels use primary colors. However, Fujimoto created intermediate shades by mixing pigments built on the five-color palette of Japanese Kutani ware (Ishikawa Prefecture) as a basis. This five-color palette, known as Gosai, includes red, yellow, green, dark blue, and purple. This innovation allowed Fujimoto Yoshimichi to express in detail.

● Pursuit of Shades of White – Development of White Porcelain Glazes that brought out the Colors of the Overglaze Enamels

The white color of porcelain emerges through changes in the porcelain clay and glaze during firing. Fujimoto sought out the most effective white that complemented the overglaze enamels. In around 1980, Fujimoto began developing new glazes, starting with Sohaku Glaze (lit. grassy-white) which has a bluish tint, and Seppaku Glaze (lit. snow-white), a matte-like opaque white. Around 1986, Fujimoto developed Sohaku Glaze (lit. frost-white), noted for its sharp and tense white, and Baihaku Glaze (lit. plum-white) with a tint of yellow, created by the reaction of silver occurring from the firing process.

● Adoption of the technique, Mokkotsu (lit. Boneless)

Unlike the traditional kotsugaki technique where outlines are drawn before coloring, mokkotsu expresses forms through the bleeding and shading of colors without the defined lines. From the early 1970s, Fujimoto began using this mokkotsu technique with variations in colors to create a sense of three-dimensionality in the motifs.

● Development of Yūbyōkasai (lit. adding color with painted glaze)

The typical method for white porcelain with overglaze enamels involves coating the porcelain with glaze, firing at high temperatures, then painting on the surface with pigments and firing at a lower temperature again. However, Fujimoto sought to eliminate the painted design appearing suddenly on the white background by experimenting with ways to integrate the design with the background. He achieved this by painting the background directly onto the work that is coated in glaze, prior to firing. He called this technique, Yūbyōkasai. This layering approach created a watercolor-like effect with a sense of depth.

Fujimoto Yoshimichi and Kikuchi Tomo

The friendship between Fujimoto Yoshimichi and Kikuchi Tomo, the founder of Tomo Museum, began in 1974 when Kikuchi Tomo invited Fujimoto to hold the very first solo exhibition at her newly opened gallery for contemporary ceramics, Kandori.

This exhibition marked the start of their relationship, and following its success, Kikuchi commissioned Fujimoto to create a dinner set. The request was made in preparation for the 1976 National Tree Planting Festival in Ibaraki Prefecture, during which the Emperor and Empress stayed at the Kikuchi family facility in Takahagi City. The commissioned dinner set was used at the banquet during their stay.

This unique dinner set—a merge of Western-style tableware with Japanese-style ceramics—was comprised of 230 pieces for 15 place settings. The production spanned nearly two years, during which Fujimoto transitioned to the mokkotsu (lit. boneless) painting technique. The set was crafted with the utmost care, incorporating all of Fujimoto’s expertise.

Final Solo Exhibition of Fujimoto Yoshimichi, “Tokayoen” Held at the Kikuchi Guest House

Fujimoto Yoshimichi's final solo exhibition, “Tokyayoen”, was held in March 1992 at the Kikuchi Guest House, which was on the same premises as where the Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum stands today. In that same year, just two months after the opening of the exhibition in May, Fujimoto passed away.

This exhibition became the culmination of his life's work, showcasing a world of creations that seemed to evoke a confrontation with mortality itself.

Many of the works from this exhibition have since been added to our collection. The collection at Tomo Museum now holds approximately 130 pieces by Fujimoto, when we count the dinner set as a single set of work. It is a comprehensive collection, built on the foundation of the strong relationship of trust between Fujimoto Yoshimichi and Kikuchi Tomo.