Tea-ceremony water jar with matching lid in imitation of Hon'ami Koetsu, unknown Raku ware workshop

Object Details

• Artist

  False signature of Hon'ami Koetsu 本阿弥光悦 (1558-1637)

• Description

  Tea ceremony water jar with matching lid (tomobuta mizushashi [Jpn]). Repaired with gold lacquer. Other mends.

  Clay: soft, red, Raku type. Unglazed on interior.

  Glaze: Clear glaze.

  Decoration: impressed and inlaid with mother-of-pearl (in poor condition) and metal: deer and maple leaves.

  Seal: "Koetsu" carved onto wall, in seal script inside rectangular frame.

• Marks

  Seal: "Koetsu" carved onto wall, in seal script inside rectangular frame.

• Provenance

  To 1901

  Bunkio Matsuki (1867-1940), Boston, to 1901 [1]

  From 1901 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Bunkio Matsuki in 1901 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]

  Notes:

  [1]

  See Pottery List, L. 995, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] 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)

• Previous custodian or owner

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

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Tokyo, 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

• Place

  Tokyo, Japan

• Topic

  Water, Art, Inlay (process), Ceramics, Tea, Charles Lang Freer collection, Animals, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Lacquer, Pottery, Meiji era (1868 - 1912), Raku ware

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes