Collection: Artist Category > The "SA" column (Kakiemon Sakaiida, etc.) > Tatsuzo Shimaoka

Born in Tokyo in 1919 (Taisho 8), Shimaoka Tatsuzo grew up in a family that was involved in the braiding business, and from an early age he was familiar with patterns and weaving. It is said that this experience influenced the technique of "Jomon Zogan" that he later established.

A visit to the Japan Folk Crafts Museum in 1938 inspired him to pursue a career in pottery, and he entered the Ceramics Department of the Tokyo Institute of Technology the following year. He graduated in 1941, and after the war, in 1946, he studied under Hamada Shoji in Mashiko. He then worked at the Tochigi Prefecture Ceramics Training Center, before building a kiln in Mashiko in 1953 and going independent, where he began making pottery in earnest.

Jomon inlay, which he began working on around 1960, is a unique technique in which rope patterns are carved into the surface of a vessel and then embedded in white clay to make the pattern stand out. The resulting work exudes a simple yet powerful presence, giving a new beauty to everyday vessels such as vases, bowls and plates.

He was also very active, and in 1989 he was invited to the Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Art's "The Ceramists Who Built Mashiko" exhibition, and in 1994 he received the Japan Ceramic Association Gold Award.

In 1996, he was recognized as a Living National Treasure for his work "Mingei Pottery (Jomon Inlay)," an Important Intangible Cultural Property, and in 1999 he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Fourth Class, with Gold Rays with Rosette. He has received high praise through solo exhibitions and displays both in Japan and abroad.

The powerful patterns of Jomon inlay reflect Japanese tradition and innovation, and continue to exude a simple yet unique beauty. Shimaoka Tatsuzo's works continue to attract strong support from collectors, and their appeal never fades with the passage of time.