Karatsu ware bowl

Object Details

• Description

  Tea-bowl, ovoidal, with deep foot. Gold lacquer repairs

  Clay: fine, dense, grayish

  Glaze: deep cream, with small and large brown crackle, stained by tea (matcha). Some kiln debris adhering to glaze in bottom.

• Provenance

  To 1905

  K. Suzuki, New York, to 1905 [1]

  From 1905 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from K. Suzuki in 1905 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Pottery List, L. 1343, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Also, Curatorial Remark 16, Louise Cort, June 17,

  2008, in the object record, states: "The dealer who sold Freer this bowl, K. Suzuki, was in New York when he wrote a letter to Edward Sylvester Morse dated 17 February 1905. This was the only time Freer purchased works from him."

  [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

• Previous custodian or owner

  K. Suzuki (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Shiinomine kilns, Imari, Saga prefecture, Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

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

• Name

  Suzuki, K., Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  Shiinomine kilns, Imari, Japan, Saga prefecture

• Topic

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

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)