北大路魯山人(1883 - 1959) - Rosanjin Kitaoji (1883 - 1959)

The Adachi Museum of Art, well-known for its magnificent gardens as well as its splendid collection of contemporary art, also has many treasured ceramic works by famous potters. Excellent pieces by Kanjiro Kawai (1890 – 1966), born in Yasugi and known as the “Poet of Fire” in our region of Japan; as well as many impressive works by Rosanjin Kitaoji, can be found there.

見事な日本庭園と現代美術の優れたコレクションで知られる足立美術館には、著名な陶芸家による作品も多数収蔵されています。当地において「炎の詩人」と呼ばれる安来市出身の河井寛次郎(1890-1966)の傑作とともに、北大路魯山人の印象的な作品も数多く展示されています。

Rosanjin Kitaoji was born in Kyoto, and earned his living by writing kanji and seal carving. He was associated with the high-class, refined people of those days, and acquired an interest in cuisine and its preparation. His idea was that food should be served in the dish most suitable to it. Also, that flowers being used for decoration, should be in vases suitable to the floral arrangement.

北大路魯山人は京都に生まれ、書家であり篆刻(てんこく)家でした。当時の洗練された上流階級の人々と交流を持ち、料理やその盛り付けに関心を持つに至ります。魯山人は、料理はそれに最もふさわしい器で出すべきであり、花を飾る際は、生け方に合った花瓶に生けるべきであると考えました。

Therefore, he started to create his own ceramics. His art includes calligraphy, carvings, paintings, lacquerware, ceramics, and gold metal art. Most of his work contributed to the beauty of cuisine and its presentation.

そこから、魯山人の陶磁器作りが始まったのです。彼の作品は書道、彫刻、絵画、漆器、陶磁器、金加工と多岐にわたり、その多くが、料理とその盛り付けに美しさを添えました。

The Adachi Museum has about 200 works by him, from early period to late period production, and around 60 of them are on constant exhibit in the Rosanjin Kitaoji Room of the Adachi Museum Ceramic Exhibition Hall. This hall was completed in the spring of 1988.

足立美術館には、魯山人の初期から晩年までの作品約200点が収蔵されており、そのうち約60点は、陶磁器展示ホールにある北大路魯山人のコーナーで常設展示されています。同ホールは1988年春に完成しました。

The exhibit is changed four times a year, but it would be impossible to see all his works at one time, so a book was published titled, “Masterpieces of Rosanjin Kitaoji.” For this volume, 91 exceptional pieces of his work were selected, and included in it. He created his own special designs especially to suit the food being served, or the flower arrangement being displayed.

展示品は年4回入れ替わるため、彼の作品のすべてを一度に鑑賞することは不可能かと思われます。そのため、91点を抜粋し掲載した『足立美術館陶芸名品展 北大路魯山人の傑作』が出版されています。 魯山人は、料理や生け花を引き立てるために独自のデザインを生み出しました。

His ideas suit the Japanese feeling exactly!

彼の発想は、日本人の感覚に合致しています。