Tea bowl in the style of Koetsu, unknown Raku ware workshop

Tea-bowl: deep, rounded style; low flattened ring foot; numerous repairs extending from uneven plain lip in gold, red, and dark brown lacquer.
Clay: low-fired, porous Raku type.
Glaze: uneven, shaded and speckled in range of grays with pink-tinged areas; rough, pitted surface texture. Inside, staining typical of “tea” use. Misfired Red Raku.
Decoration: uneven vertical striations cut into the clay.

Maker(s)
Artist: Attributed to Tamamizu Ichigen 玉水一元 (1662?-1722)
Historical period(s)
Edo period, 18th century
Medium
Raku-type earthenware with red slip under clear glaze; gold lacquer repairs
Style
Raku ware, unknown workshop
Dimensions
H x Diam: 9.4 × 11.6 cm (3 11/16 × 4 9/16 in)
Geography
Japan, Kyoto prefecture, Kyoto
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1900.40
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Tea bowl

Keywords
earthenware, Edo period (1615 - 1868), Japan, lacquer repair, Raku ware, tea
Provenance

To 1900
Yamanaka & Company, to 1900 [1]

From 1900 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1900 [2]

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

Notes:

[1] See Original Pottery List, L. 679, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. The majority of Charles Lang Freer’s purchases from Yamanaka & Company were made at its New York branch. Yamanaka & Company maintained branch offices, at various times, in Boston, Chicago, London, Peking, Shanghai, Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto. During the summer, the company also maintained seasonal locations in Newport, Bar Harbor, and Atlantic City.

[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)

Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919
Yamanaka and Co. (C.L. Freer source) 1917-1965

Description

Tea-bowl: deep, rounded style; low flattened ring foot; numerous repairs extending from uneven plain lip in gold, red, and dark brown lacquer.
Clay: low-fired, porous Raku type.
Glaze: uneven, shaded and speckled in range of grays with pink-tinged areas; rough, pitted surface texture. Inside, staining typical of "tea" use. Misfired Red Raku.
Decoration: uneven vertical striations cut into the clay.

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