Teabowl with Pinks

1893–1914

Seifū Yohei III 三代清風与平

(Japanese, 1851–1914)

Culture

Japan, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Medium

Stoneware with crackled glaze and overglaze color enamel and gold

Measurements

height: 7.5 cm (2 15/16 in.); Diameter: 11 cm (4 5/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of James and Christine Heusinger 2022.184

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

The vessel comes with a bespoke brocade pouch with a silk fastening cord, as is customary for Japanese teabowls.

Description

This teabowl, for use in chanoyu, is a good example of Yohei III’s mastery of the techniques involved in producing Kyoto ware. The painting of the pinks, with their blue centers, bright red petals, and green leaves, is carefully controlled with crisp gold borders throughout. There is crackling in the transparent glaze and obvious, thick dripping of the milky glaze over the outside of the mouth of the bowl. The pink spots would have appeared in the clay during firing, and the bottom of the inside of the bowl is entirely pink. A triangular wedge has been cut away from the foot, and a gently impressed band rings the bowl beneath the rim.