Bowl, Takeo Karatsu ware

Large deep bowl.
Clay: stoneware, brown to brick red on exposed surfaces, with some small white stones; appearing gray brown under clear glaze.
Glaze: on front, white slip, combed into undulating patterns, under clear glaze. glaze covers front of dish incompletely and covers only edge of back, with irregular runs.
Decoration: on front, over combed slip pattern in cavetto, one long trail of copper green and, across from it, one long trail of iron-yellow, both faint. In bottom, three large oval sandy spur marks; judging from spacing of these marks, seven or eight spurs altogether were probably used, the others not adhering to the unglazed slip areas.

Historical period(s)
Edo period, 1660-1700
Medium
Stoneware with white slip, copper and iron pigments under clear glaze
Style
Karatsu ware, Takeo Karatsu type
Dimensions
H x W x D: 11 x 34.8 x 34.8 cm (4 5/16 x 13 11/16 x 13 11/16 in)
Geography
Japan, Saga prefecture, Takeo, Takeo Karatsu kilns
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd L. Whittington
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1987.14
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Bowl

Keywords
copper pigment, Edo period (1615 - 1868), iron pigment, Japan, Karatsu ware, Takeo Karatsu type, stoneware, white slip
Provenance

From 1962 to 1987
Mr. Floyd L. Whittington, Sun City, Arizona, acquired in Indonesia through a local man. [1]

From 1987
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd L. Whittington, Sun City, Arizona. [2]

Notes:

[1] According to Louise Cort, “This plate is one of three similar ones acquired by Mr. Whittington in Indonesia in 1962. Mr. Whittington was Counsellor for Political Affairs at the American Embassy in Jakarta. The plates were acquired for him by a local man whom he funded regularly to go on buying trips. Mr. Whittington believes that these three plates were probably acquired somewhere in upper Borneo, above Kalimantan.” See Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

[2] See note 1. See also Deed of Gift, copy in object file.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Mr. and Mrs. Floyd L. Whittington

Description

Large deep bowl.
Clay: stoneware, brown to brick red on exposed surfaces, with some small white stones; appearing gray brown under clear glaze.
Glaze: on front, white slip, combed into undulating patterns, under clear glaze. glaze covers front of dish incompletely and covers only edge of back, with irregular runs.
Decoration: on front, over combed slip pattern in cavetto, one long trail of copper green and, across from it, one long trail of iron-yellow, both faint. In bottom, three large oval sandy spur marks; judging from spacing of these marks, seven or eight spurs altogether were probably used, the others not adhering to the unglazed slip areas.

Published References
  • Louise Allison Cort, George Williams, David P. Rehfuss. Ceramics in Mainland Southeast Asia. Washington. .
  • International Symposium on Japanese Ceramics. Seattle. pp. 166-171.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art, Southeast Asian Art
Web Resources
Ceramics in Mainland Southeast Asia
Google Cultural Institute
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