round teabowl pressed into asymmetrical shape; dark brown and tan glazes; light wavy parallel lines on exterior; has storage box

"Clog-shaped" tea bowl, 1614-1624

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This tea bowl combines a thick, whitish glaze with a translucent amber one on a triangular-shaped form, known in Japanese as a kutsugata chawan, or “clog-shaped tea bowl.” This was a name given to peculiarly shaped tea bowls, which were thought to resemble footwear worn by some Buddhist priests. The combination of this glazing technique and distorted shape is unique to a single kiln, Uchigaso, which was active only between 1614 and 1624. This kiln was one of several in the northeastern area of the island of Kyushu that produced Takatori wares, so called for Mount Takatori located nearby. Early Takatori wares were created primarily by Korean potters who had been relocated to Kyushu by powerful local warlords during two Japanese invasions of the Korean peninsula in the 1590s. These potters’ tea wares, which were quite different from styles prevalent in their native Korea, made a huge splash among Japanese tea aficionados in the distant cities of Kyoto and Sakai.

Details
Title
"Clog-shaped" tea bowl
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2002.141.3
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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round teabowl pressed into asymmetrical shape; dark brown and tan glazes; light wavy parallel lines on exterior; has storage box