This is the first comprehensive look in English at the Seifu Yohei Ceramic Studio in Kyoto, from the Meiji period (1868 1912) to the mid Showa period (1926 89), the James and Christine Heusinger Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art as its core material. The principal essay provides a biography of Seifu Yohei III, the star of the studio and the first ceramist to be named an Imperial Household Artist, as well as an overview of the studio that contextualises it in the world of literati painting, sencha (steeped green tea) and international trade. A second essay offers a brief history of porcelain production in Kyoto, as well as a discussion of objects produced by the Seifu studio for sencha. This catalogue of a hundred works examines the wide variety of forms, decorative techniques and glazes that made the studio's works unique. AUTHORS: Shinya Maezaki is a professor at Kyoto Women's University. Sinead Vilbar is curator of Japanese Art at the Cleveland Museum of Art. SELLING POINTS: . Features the Seifu Yohei Ceramic Studio in Kyoto from the Meiji period (1868-1912) to early Showa period (1926-89) . Focuses on the domestic market vs. international market, modernization vs. Westernization, and China as a cultural model . Biographical essay on Seifu Yohei III . Essay on sencha . Great photography of Seifu works displaying a great variety of techniques, glazes, and forms 160 colour illustrations

Bringing the rich Japanese Shinto artistic tradition to life, this handsome volume explores the significance of calligraphy, painting, sculpture, and the decorative arts within traditional kami veneration ceremonies A central feature of Japanese culture for many centuries, the veneration of kami deities-a practice often referred to as Shinto-has been a driving force behind a broad swath of visual art. Focusing on the Heian period (795-1185) through the Edo period (1615-1868), this generously illustrated volume brings the rich Shinto artistic tradition to life through works of calligraphy, painting, sculpture, and the decorative arts. Thematic essays authored by both American and Japanese scholars explore different dimensions of kami veneration and examine the significance of these objects-many of which have never been seen outside of Japan-in Shinto ceremonies.