Sakaida Kakiemon XV
Fifteenth-generation head of the Kakiemon kiln in Arita, keeper of the overglaze 'akae' enamel style prized in Europe since the 1600s.
Veronica's Take
In the quiet hills of Arita, Japan, Sakaida Kakiemon XV carries forward a 400-year legacy as the fifteenth-generation head of the legendary Kakiemon kiln, where he meticulously crafts porcelain using the 'akae' enamel technique that once captivated European royalty. His work fiercely honors history, with a red-orange palette that inspired Meissen's own early interpretations, while his milky white porcelain showcases the kiln's unmatched skill. Kakiemon XV's craft is a sacred duty, passed down through centuries and still revered as the pinnacle of Japanese porcelain artistry.
He inherited a milk-white porcelain and a red-orange enamel palette that once seduced Meissen, and paints as if Europe never stole the trick.
Key Facts
The people behind Sakaida Kakiemon XV
Sakaida Kakiemon XV
profilePorcelain
Fifteenth-generation head of the Kakiemon kiln in Arita, keeper of the overglaze 'akae' enamel style prized in Europe since the 1600s.
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