Tea bowl, copy of Kaga Koetsu, named Chigusa, unknown Raku ware workshop

Object Details

• Artist

  Style of Hon'ami Koetsu 本阿弥光悦 (1558-1637) , by an unknown professional potter

• Description

  Tea bowl, vertical incisions on sides. Named Chigusa.

  Clay: soft, grayish. Raku type.

  Glaze: brilliant, mingled autumnal reds, yellows, greens, and browns; crackled. Red slip brushed under clear glaze.

• Label

  The tea bowl named Kaga Koetsu is perhaps the most frequently copied tea bowl of those made by Hon'ami Koetsu (1558-1637). Details of this copy, including faithful replication of the scar on the base created by a circular firing support, suggest that its maker (probably a professional potter) had studied the original.

• Provenance

  Ikeda Seisuke (1839-1900), Kyoto [1]

  To 1900

  Bunkio Matsuki (1867-1940), Boston, to 1900 [2]

  From 1900 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Bunkio Matsuki in 1900 [3]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

  [2] See Original Pottery List, L. 793, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [3] See note 2.

  [4] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea (December 9, 2023 - ongoing)

  Tea Ceramics after Koetsu (June 27, 2015 to January 3, 2016)

  Bold and Beautiful: Rinpa in Japanese Art (June 28, 2015 to January 3, 2016)

  Japanese Art in the Age of Koetsu (June 6, 1998 to February 15, 1999)

  Special Exhibition of Japanese Pottery (October 29, 1971 to October 31, 1971)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Ikeda Seisuke (1839-1900)

  Bunkio Matsuki 松木文恭 (1867-1940) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Kyoto, Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Freer Gallery 20a: Knotted Clay: Raku Ceramics and Tea

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1900s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Matsuki, Bunkio, Ikeda, Seisuke

• Place

  Kyoto, Japan

• Topic

  Tea, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Copy, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Ceramics, Raku ware

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes