tea caddy, large, katatsuki shape, irregular surface; dark brown glaze, slightly flared shoulder, short neck; tapers subtly at base; ivory cover with tiny finial and incised concentric lines around finial

Tea caddy, late 16th century

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This tea caddy (a vessel for powdered tea), with its short neck, rounded rim, and sharply angled shoulder, was modeled on Chinese examples first brought to Japan in the 1300s. However, it differs from more precisely crafted Chinese prototypes in important ways that are in keeping with the prevailing wabi (imperfect or rustic) aesthetic of Japan’s tea culture in the late 1500s. For example, the potter’s hand is revealed in the slight modulation of the body and the eye-catching pattern created through variations in the brown glaze. Although this tea caddy has traditionally been associated with kilns in the Seto region of central Japan, it was more likely produced at a kiln in neighboring Mino, an area to which many Seto potters moved in the late 1500s.

Details
Title
Tea caddy
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2015.79.320a,b
Catalogue Raisonne
Murase, Art through a Lifetime, no. 655
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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tea caddy, large, katatsuki shape, irregular surface; dark brown glaze, slightly flared shoulder, short neck; tapers subtly at base; ivory cover with tiny finial and incised concentric lines around finial