Background
Kenkichi Tomimoto was born on June 5, 1886 in Nara, Japan. His family came from Nara prefecture.
1919
Koyata Yamamoto and Kenkichi Tomimoto
1932
Tomimoto Kenkichi at his home
Tomimoto with Leach in the 1920's
憲吉 富本
Kenkichi Tomimoto was born on June 5, 1886 in Nara, Japan. His family came from Nara prefecture.
He graduated from Tokyo Academy of Fine Arts (1909) and proceeded to England to join Bernard Leech in his research of pottery.
Kenkichi Tomimoto received a commission to design a large Japanese-lacquered zelkova shelf called "kingin-sai kazari tsubo" for the Ume-no-Ma audience room of Tokyo Imperial Palace. Is a distinguished pottery artist and a member of Geijutsuin. Also a student of folk arts, he is the author of "Appreciation of Pottery." Tomimoto founded the ceramics department at the Kyoto Municipal College of Fine Arts.
Ornamental Covered Jar, Porcelain, Pattern of Ferns, Overglaze Enamels, Gold and Silver
1953Plate
Porcelain jar in gold and silver
1956Set of 4 plates
artwork
artwork
Twisted gourd-shaped sake bottle, overall calico pattern
1939Tomisen Porcelain Vase
artwork
artwork
Bowl, porcelain, wax resist of hop motifs
Square bottle, porcelain, overglaze enamels
artwork
artwork
artwork
artwork
a large Jar with Lotus design
Tomimoto’s philosophy was, "Produce large quantities of inexpensive vessels that have been designed by a true artist and manufactured in a coordinated, well-organized pottery, in order that every kind of person, in every kind of house can use it; inexpensive pottery that anybody can buy and that nobody can afford to be without."
In November 1914, Tomimoto married Odake Kazue (also known as 'Kokichi'), a niece of the artist Odake Chikuha. Kazue was at one time a member of the feminist literary group Seito (publishers of the magazine of the same name, Bluestocking). A controversial figure in her youth, Kazue had a close relationship (and, it was thought, an infatuation) with Raicho Hiratsuka. It is thought that Tomimoto may have drawn an early draft of the woodblock print which Odake finished and submitted to Seito, which appeared as the cover of the 1913 New Year's issue of Seito magazine.
After marrying, the couple moved to Nara, Japan. Tomimoto and Kazue had three children together, but later separated.