The Ceramic Wars

Why were Korean potters kidnapped and held hostage by Japanese invaders?  And how did they transform the history of Japanese ceramics?  In this episode Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene explore the complicated relations between Korea and Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries, and show how ceramics became a major factor in the bitter conflict between the two of them during what has become known as the Ceramic Wars.

Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:

Maebyeong Vase, Late 13th Century

Stoneware carving and filling with white and black slip.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Cropped) - Wikimedia Commons

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kodai Temple - Wikimedia Commons

Toyotomi Hideyoshi on his horse - Wikimedia Commons

Wine Ewer, First half of the 13th Century

Shigaraki climbing kiln - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Water Jar, 17th Century

Noborigama, Tokoname - Wikimedia Commons

Raku Tea Bowl, Circa 1600

Ko Tamba Ware Water Jar, Mid 1500’s

Shigaraki Ware Vessel, 15th Century

Arita Ware Hexagonal Jars, Late 17th Century

Shigaraki Ware Vessel, 15th Century

Dish Depicting Lady with a Parasol, 1734—1737

Hagi Ware Tea Bowl, 19th Century - Freer Gallery of Art, Wikimedia Commons

Hagi Ware Tea Bowl, 20th Century - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

"To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the HENI Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks"

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene

Additional Research: Catherine Ingram

Editor: Alessandro Ruocco

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction: The Ceramic Wars

00:01:05 East Asia in the 16th Century: Three Powers

00:03:55 Korean Ceramics: The Beauty of Seladon

00:09:33 Japanese Ceramics Before the Wars

00:09:54 Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Unification of Japan

00:15:10 The Japanese Invasions of Korea Begin

00:18:31 The Enslavement of Korean Potters

00:20:02 Korean Potters Transform Japanese Ceramics

00:23:08 Arita: The Birth of Japanese Porcelain

00:26:59 Satsuma Ware and Korean Innovation

00:30:54 Hagi Ware and the Tea Ceremony

00:37:15 Legacy and Lasting Tensions