Kyoto ware tea cup, probably for serving New Year herbal tea

Object Details

• Artist

  Hozan Bunzo 宝山文造

• Description

  Tea-cup, probably for serving New Year herbal tea

  Clay: fine, cream.

  Glaze: translucent, delicately crackled.

  Decoration: over glaze, in gold, in oxydized silver, and in blue. Paulownia and chrysanthemum crests.

  Mark: Hozan, inside rectangular frame, impressed on base to left of small impressed circle at center of base.

• Marks

  Mark: Hozan, inside rectangular frame, impressed on base to left of small impressed circle at center of base.

  Mark: Hozan, inside rectangular frame, impressed on base to left of small impressed circle at center of base.

• Label

  Each year the Hozan Bunzo workshop in Awataguchi supplied small cups to the imperial palace, to be used for serving "great good fortune" (obuku) tea during the New Year festivities.The mixture of seaweed powder, pickled plum, and powdered spice was said to have been invented by the holy man Kuya (903-972) as antidote for a plague. The exquisitely shaped and decorated cups were used only once before being given to guests as souvenirs.

• Provenance

  To 1906

  Unidentified owner, Nikko, Japan, to 1906 [1]

  From 1906 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from an unidentified owner, Nikko, Japan, in 1906 [2]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Pottery List, L. 399, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. See also, Accession List, Collections Management office.

  [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

  Japanese Art of the Meiji Era (September 20, 1997 to April 26, 1998)

  Kyoto Ceramics (November 9, 1984 to April 25, 1985)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Hozan Bunzo workshop, Awata, Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture, Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1890s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1850s, 1680s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  Awata, Kyoto, Japan, Hozan Bunzo workshop, Kyoto prefecture

• Topic

  Tea, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Stoneware, Kyoto ware, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Enamel and enameling, Ceramics, Meiji era (1868 - 1912)

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)