Making Ceramics 1800 - 1840

Eiraku Hozen painted "Making Ceramics" in the first half of the 19th century, during the late Edo period in Japan. The painting offers us a glimpse into the world of ceramic production, but also into the hierarchical structures of Japanese society at the time. The workers are depicted here, not as individual artists, but as part of a collective labor force. This imagery reflects the prevailing social order where artisans, while valued for their skills, were often positioned lower in the social hierarchy compared to the ruling samurai class or wealthy merchants. The muted tones and understated style evoke a sense of the everyday, a quiet observation of labor. We see the human element in the process of creation. Hozen himself came from a family of potters, so he must have been deeply familiar with the scene depicted. The artwork serves as both a record of a specific craft and a reflection on the social dynamics of labor and identity in 19th-century Japan.