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YANAGI SOETSU (MUNEYOSHI)
1889 - 1961. Philosopher. The founder of the Mingeikan Museum, the driving force behind the Mingei (Folk Craft) Movement, and the first director of the Mingeikan Museum. He is also the acclaimed author of the classic book The Unknown Craftsman, which was translated by his English collaborator Bernard Leach.
The term Mingei literally means "folk crafts." It was coined in 1926 by Yanagi along with potters Hamada Shoji (1894-1978) and Kawai Kanjiro (1890-1966) when they established the nationwide Mingei Movement. See the History page for many more details. In Yanagi's own words:
"The name of the museum is not mere words.
It stands for the arts of the people, returned to the people."
Most of the pieces at the Mingeikan were selected by Yanagi himself based on precise criteria. Although the bulk of the 17,000 pieces at the Mingeikan are Japanese in origin, one room at the museum is always devoted to works from the Korean Yi Dynasty (1392 - 1910 AD). This room is a tribute to Korean arts and folk crafts. Yanagi's early fascination with Korean art sparked his interest in the beauty of anonymous arts and crafts in the East, and led him to develop his theory on Mingei.
  Yanagi's book The Unknown Craftsman (A Japanese Insight into Beauty) has become a timeless and exceedingly influential work since its first release in English in 1972. Yanagi's book examines the Japanese way of viewing and appreciating art and beauty in everyday crafts that include ceramics, lacquer, textiles, and woodwork. Included are 12 color photos and 69 B&W photos of examples of Yanagi's collection and shots from Okinawa. Chapters include "Towards a Standard of Beauty," "Seeing and Knowing," and "The Beauty of Irregularity." To purchase this book, please click here. (outside site).
Calligraphy by Yanagi Soetsu
Beyond Beauty and Ugliness
W = 36 cm
Circa middle 1950s
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Last Update April 1, 2006
Yanagi Soetsu
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