| abstract
| - Tsuji Hitachi(辻常陸) is the name of a house of ceramic artists of Arita, Japan. In Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, the Tsuji House has a 350-year history and superb technique for making white porcelain. Since the generation of the one hundred eleventh Emperor Reigen(1664), the Tsuji House has been taking orders for tableware from the Japanese Imperial Household. The House of Tsuji was the first kiln to make white porcelain tableware for imperial use. This distinction can be seen by comparing the other porcelain painters in Arita such as Kakiemon and Imaemon—Kakiemon House is called "the kiln of the common people" and Imaemon House is called "the kiln of the feudal domain," but Tsuji House is called "the kiln for the Imperial Household." In the Meiji Era, the Tsuji House continued to make white porcelain tableware for the Imperial Household, to whom they supplied nearly all of their work. Therefore, there was no sign on their works, and only a few pieces were sold to private citizens as they were very difficult to purchase. Tsuji ceramics from this era are therefore extremely prized by collectors. Working for the Imperial Household requires consistent creation of the best porcelain. Compared with "Somenishiki" (porcelain with blue underglaze and enamel overglaze), "Sometsuke" (blue underglazing with cobalt oxide) requires delicate and demanding craftsmanship because the porcelain painters must obtain all artistic effects through the use of a single color, cobalt blue. Sometsuke porcelain has fascinated people all over the world for centuries, and it accounts for a significant percentage of the world's collected porcelain and ceramics due to its popularity. However, very few porcelain painters produce Sometsuke ware at present. Of those who do make Sometsuke, the fourteenth Tsuji, Hitachi Tsuji, is recognised as a superb artist who crafts traditional arts to perfection.
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