Tea bowl

Tea bowl, ovoidal; low retired foot.
Clay: fine, hard, gray.
Glaze: mirror-black, iridescent; brown rim

Maker(s)
Artist: Attributed to Kinkozan Sobei workshop
Historical period(s)
Edo period, mid 19th century
Medium
Stoneware with iron glaze
Style
Kyoto ware
Dimensions
H x Diam: 5.9 × 11.8 cm (2 5/16 × 4 5/8 in)
Geography
Japan, Kyoto prefecture, Kyoto, Awata district
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1896.54
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Tea bowl

Keywords
Edo period (1615 - 1868), iridescence, Japan, Kyoto ware, stoneware, tea
Provenance

To 1896
Rufus E. Moore, New York to 1896 [1]

From 1896 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Rufus E. Moore in 1896 [2]

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

Notes:

[1] See Original Pottery List, L. 383, 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.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Rufus E. Moore (C.L. Freer source) 1840-1918
Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919

Description

Tea bowl, ovoidal; low retired foot.
Clay: fine, hard, gray.
Glaze: mirror-black, iridescent; brown rim

Label

This simple bowl, attributed to one of the major workships in the Awataguchi district of eastern Kyoto, examplifies the high standard of workmanship of which Kyoto potters were justly proud.  The shape and glaze are based on the classic Chinese Chien ware, or Temmoku, tea bowl.  Many large Kyoto temples owned hundreds of such bowls for use in entertaining large groups of guests.

Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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