Dish with Bamboo Leaves

The renowned painter Ogata Kenzan was the third son of Ogata Sōken, proprietor of the Kariganeya kimono store in Kyoto. Together with his older brother, Kōrin (1658–1743), Kenzan created many innovative works of art, including ceramics, paintings, and calligraphy. In 1689, he retreated to live near Ninnaji Temple, where he studied ceramics with Nonomura Ninsei (active ca. 1646–94), whose Omuro kiln operated in the vicinity. Later, in 1699, Kenzan built his own kiln in northwestern Kyoto. He captured literary and painterly imagery not only in colorful overglaze and underglaze pigments resembling brilliant Japanese-style Yamato-e paintings based on waka poetry, but also in brown iron-oxide underglaze pigments recalling monochrome ink paintings inspired by Chinese art. In doing so, Kenzan created a harmonious juxtaposition of Japanese and Chinese styles that was unprecedented in Kyoto ware. The combination of these dual traditions became the foundation of his practice.