Makuzu Kozan I (1842-1916) was born into a family of potters in Kyoto. In 1871, shortly after the Imperial Restoration, he established a pottery in Yokohama. He was successful as an exporter of Satsuma type pottery, and particularly pieces with applied realistic modelling of birds and animals in reaction to Western demand. His subject matter was taken largely from traditional Japanese art with input from Ukiyo-e, Western Japonisme, and Edo period comic illustration. Kozan won many awards in both international and Japanese national expositions, and might well be called the greatest Japanese potter of the Meiji era. In 1896 Miyagawa Kozan was appointed an Imperial Artist, and lived a further twenty years active and respected.