In Japan Ceramic Tea Bowls Were Appreciated Not Just For Their Color

The red color of this tea bowl evokes the earlier work of chojiro.

In japan ceramic tea bowls were appreciated not just for their color.

True artist ai weiwei was arrested by chinese government officials in 2011 just three years after he had been involved in designing the stadium for the beijing olympics. In japan ceramic tea bowls were appreciated not just for their color shape and pleasing irregular surface but as part of the experience of sipping tea. Their red hue comes from the actual color of the clay itself. Detailed explanation inserted here.

Gradually the tea masters who conducted the ritual began using rustic. Red bowls are not covered by a red glaze. In japan ceramic tea bowls are a greatly esteemed form of art. In japan ceramic tea bowls were appreciated not just for their color shape and pleasing irregular surface but as part of the experience of sipping tea.

That simple expression of the clay is highly linked to the wabi spirit. While you re traveling in japan grab some wooden bowls. To illustrate how difficult it can be to pinpoint an item s manufacturing period both arita ware from the qianlong period 18th century and from the 1970s use a hazy blue underglaze for their marks. Dad may get a big ceramic rice bowl mom may use a porcelain rice bowl with sakura pattern the daughter may use a modern cat design rice bowl and the son may use a character print on the rice bowl.

During world war ii most ceramics factories for exports ceased except noritake see japanese ceramics of the last 100 years by irene stitt pg 167. A mark made by stencil is a much later way of marking dating from the showa period 1926 to 1989. We have many many variations of rice bowls and miso soup bowls in japan. High quality wooden miso soup bowls that are made in japan are hard to find in the us.

The raku tea bowls embodying the classical japanese aesthetic concepts of wabi and sabi transience and imperfection were enthusiastically received during their tour. The earliest bowls used in the japanese tea ceremony were ancient chinese ceramics that had found their way to japan. In japan ceramic tea bowls were appreciated not just for their color shape and pleasing irregular surface but as part of the experience of sipping tea. From 1921 1941 wares from japan exported to the united states had to be marked japan or made in japan.

Rice bowls and miso soup bowls are something that we use daily for japanese families. Many early japanese pottery marks were hand painted as they were viewed as a signature. The iron in the clay oxidizes during firing making the finished tea bowls turn red. In japan each family member may have their own personal rice bowl dish with different sizes and materials.