Miyagawa Hannosuke [Makuzu Kozan II] (1859-1940)
宮川香山

Makuzu Kozan II was the nephew and stepson of Makuzu Kozan I (1842-1916), and a fine potter in his own right. Collectors generally seek one of two qualities which he developed independently of his father: in 1880s he travelled to Nagoya for two years, and learned the techniques of Seto ware pottery, which his father did not use. In those years he used a unique signature, which is highly sought after. He also was a better painter than his father, particularly the in the use of Kyoto-style ink painting.

An exhibition in 1995 held at the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford (England) showed Kozan II: Bridging East and West: Japanese ceramics from the Kozan studio. Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan (1842-1916) and his nephew and heir Hanzan (Makuzu Kozan II) (1859-1940) produced some of the most innovative and beautiful ceramics of the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) eras. (…) wide range of their products, demonstrating their inventive shapes and the brilliant decoration in the new colours now possible, that are so radically different from that of the work of previous generations of potters.”