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The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka
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One of the finest collections of Korean and Chinese ceramics
Presentation of eternal beauty

The Ataka Collection, which The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka takes such pride in showing to the world, was donated by the Sumitomo Group. Mr. Tetsuro Degawa, Director of The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka and Ms. Shigeko Shigetomi, a curator of The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka discuss what makes the Ataka Collection so special. (Interviewed by Teruaki Sueoka, Deputy Director of Sumitomo Historical Archives)

(Affiliations and titles are of the persons mentioned in the article are as of the time of publication.)

Shining example of Sumitomo’s patronage of the arts and culture

Sueoka:

The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka attests to the deep sense of civic responsibility that has always animated the Sumitomo Group. Sumitomo had been emphasizing patronage of the arts and stewardship of the environment before World War II, as evidenced by donations to libraries, sponsorship of art exhibitions, and other initiatives. However, following the dissolution of Sumitomo Head Office in 1946, Sumitomo companies became independent and lacked opportunities to engage in artistic and cultural patronage as a group. It was not until 30 years after the war that the Sumitomo Group as a whole undertook its first major project in the artistic and cultural sphere. The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka is the fruit of that endeavor.

Degawa:

The Sumitomo Bank had an excellent relationship with Osaka City and asked what the Sumitomo Group could do for the sake of the city. When Ataka & Co., Ltd. went bankrupt, the Ataka Collection was to be divested and The Sumitomo Bank was appointed as the trustee. Led by The Sumitomo Bank, the Sumitomo Group donated funds to Osaka City. The city used a portion of the funds to purchase the collection and subsequently used gains from investment of the rest of the funds to cover the cost of construction of the museum. This was the background to the establishment of The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka. Consequently, the Ataka Collection was retained in its entirety without the loss of even a single piece. It was a wonderful decision on the part of Sumitomo for which we are profoundly grateful.

Sueoka:

Going back to the Edo period, the people in Osaka have been noted for their entrepreneurial flair and civic pride. We think the values that prompted Sumitomo to make this donation were very much in the spirit of this tradition.

Degawa:

It wasn’t just a matter of signing a check. Rather, it was a question of values, timing and generosity of spirit. The donation by the Sumitomo Group enabled the Ataka Collection to be preserved in all its glory, forestalling its dispersal and loss. The caption of each piece of the Ataka Collection on display bears the words “Donated by the Sumitomo Group.”

Sueoka:

Osaka has produced many business people of refined taste. Mr. Eiichi Ataka was a distinguished example.

Degawa:

Perhaps he was the last of a long, distinguished line. Notable collectors of art are indeed scarce in the ranks of contemporary business people.

Sueoka:

This makes the Ataka Collection all the more special.

Excellent aesthetic sense

Tripod ding-shaped incense burner: Celadon with impressed taotie
Tripod ding-shaped incense burner: Celadon with impressed taotie
Goryeo dynasty (early 12th century)
17.0 cm in height
Celadon at its peak from the Goryeo dynasty. The surface of the body is divided into six sections by vertical protrusions and a horizontal line divides them into upper and lower sections. The impressed motif, coupled with the shape of the piece, enhances the decorative impact.
Tea bowl: Tenmoku glaze with silvery spots
Southern Song dynasty (12th-13th century)
12.2 cm in diameter
The gold, silver and blue iridescent marks, which are the result of crystallization of the iron contained in the glaze, sparkle like scattered jewels. This work was owned by the Sakai Family of Wakasa Province (present-day Fukui Prefecture) before it became part of the Ataka Collection. A national treasure.

Sueoka:

The Ataka Collection consists of around 1,000 pieces, doesn’t it?

Degawa:

The Ataka Collection of our museum consists of 965 pieces, including 793 Korean ceramics of the period from the Goryeo dynasty to the Joseon dynasty, 144 Chinese ceramics, and other pieces such as Vietnamese ceramics and craftwork. Apart from the collection of ceramics, Ataka & Co. also had a collection of around 100 paintings by Hayami Gyoshu. Those paintings were sold soon after Ataka’s bankruptcy and are now owned by the Yamatane Museum of Art. So it is more accurate to state that what our museum has are the ceramics from the Ataka Collection.

Sueoka:

How would you describe Mr. Ataka in his role as a collector?

Degawa:

First of all, Mr. Ataka had an excellent aesthetic sense. In his late 20s and early 30s, he spent six years or so in England as the general manager of Ataka & Co.’s London office. There were many art museums and galleries in London and numerous collectors. For a person of artistic inclinations, just being in London helps cultivate a discerning eye. While Mr. Ataka resided in London, the Royal Academy held a major exhibition devoted to the arts of China, unprecedented in scale up to that time anywhere in the world, and this and other exhibitions undoubtedly stimulated his interest. In terms of their conception and presentation, exhibitions in the London of that era broke new ground since they reflected a new, refreshing, global perspective. Until then, the collecting of ceramics by Japanese had tended to be an adjunct of their interest in the tea ceremony, but collections in the 20th century followed this new trajectory.

Basin: White porcelain with carved lotus design
Northern Song dynasty (11th century)
24.5 cm
Lotus blossoms elegantly and delicately carved faintly appear on an ivory white body. The piece is very light and so thin it is slightly translucent. The lower body with a beveled aspect and the low, thin foot ring demonstrate the potter’s superb technique. An important cultural property.
Jar: Porcelain with design of birds and flowers in cloisonné style (fahua ware)
Ming dynasty (15th century)
44.5 cm in height
Fahua is a decorative technique in which lead glazes of various colors fill in the motifs with raised outlines. The glossy dark blue background and the white color achieve a remarkably beautiful contrast.

The world-renowned collection of oriental ceramics

Beveled bottle: Blue-and-white with floral plants design
Joseon dynasty (early 18th century)
24.0 cm in height
A bottle with a motif of wild flowers in pale blue, executed in what is known in Japan as the akigusa-de or “autumn grasses” style, against the characteristic deep milky white background. The acquisition of this piece is said to have been a long-cherished desire of Mr. Ataka. Apparently, before retiring for the night, he often wondered how to accomplish this as he gazed fondly at a picture of this piece.
Dish: Porcelain with design of a peony spray against a cobalt blue ground
Ming dynasty, bearing a Xuande mark (1426-1435)
38.7cm
Jingdezhen ware. A peony branch at the center, peony scrolls on the outer wall, and pomegranate, peach and lychee fruits on the inner cavetto are painted in white slip against the deep cobalt blue background. An important cultural property.
Bamboo sprout-shaped ewer: Celadon with carved and incised design
Goryeo dynasty (early 12th century)
22.5 cm in height
An ewer in the form of a bamboo shoot. The bamboo veins are elaborately incised. Four layers of bamboo sheath are depicted in detail. Among pieces of this type, it is an outstanding example.

Sueoka:

So Mr. Ataka began collecting ceramics after he returned to Japan?

Degawa:

The acquisitions were made through Ataka & Co. from 1951 onward. Mr. Ataka had opportunities to see Korean ceramics before that and focused on collecting oriental pieces. Collectors need taste, money, courage, and luck. In terms of luck, the 1950s was an opportune decade. Owing to Japan’s tax reform based on the Report on Japanese Taxation by the Shoup Mission, a type of wealth tax was introduced. Wealthy people began selling works of art that had been family heirlooms for generations. Masterpieces rarely appear on the market but the chaotic post-war years led to an unprecedented flurry of transactions in the art market. It was a golden opportunity for Mr. Ataka.

Sueoka:

What would you single out as the unifying theme of his collection?

Degawa:

Rather than any particular theme, the collection was based on his distinctive artistic perspective and informed by his desire to create a world-renowned collection of Chinese and Korean ceramics. Mr. Ataka was committed to the highest standards in terms of the quality of the pieces he collected. His search for masterpieces far and wide was resoundingly successful in that the Ataka Collection is nowadays held in high esteem internationally.

Sueoka:

That’s why the Japanese government was so concerned that the collection might be scattered and lost and it’s also why the Sumitomo Group decided to donate the collection to Osaka City.

Shigetomi:

Without Sumitomo Group’s donation of the Ataka Collection to Osaka City, The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka would never have seen the light of day. This is a truly outstanding example of artistic and cultural patronage.

Sueoka:

Many exceptional works of art are already in museum collections. It must be difficult for your museum to expand its collection.

Degawa:

Our holdings include 6,000 works of art, most of which were donated to the museum. I think we received so many donations because the core or our collection is the exquisite Ataka Collection. We are deeply grateful to the Sumitomo Group for this extraordinary cultural asset.

Teruaki Sueoka
Teruaki Sueoka
Deputy Director of Sumitomo Historical Archives. Born in 1955 in Nagasaki Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of History, Faculty of Letters, Kokugakuin University, in 1978. Joined the predecessor of Sumitomo Historical Archives in 1978, became a Chief Researcher, and then Deputy Director. Since 1997, concurrently serving as Honorary President and Special Advisor of Hirose Memorial Museum in Niihama City. He has commented extensively on the historical significance of the former Hirose Residence, Sumitomo Kakkien, and the industrial heritage of the Besshi Copper Mines in reports on cultural assets. He is an expert on the history of Sumitomo. His numerous publications include “History of Sumitomo” (co-author, Shibunkaku), “History of Sumitomo Besshi Mine” (co-author, Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.), and “The Environment and Development in the Early Modern Period” (co-editor, Shibunkaku).

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Mr. Tetsuro Degawa, Director of The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka and Ms. Shigeko Shigetomi, a curator of The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka discuss the attractiveness of the Ataka Collection donated by the Sumitomo Group.
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