Accession Number1954/1.536
TitleRed Raku ware shallow tea bowl
Artist(s)JapaneseArtist NationalityJapanese (culture or style)Object Creation Date19th centuryMedium & Supportearthenware with red glazeDimensions 2 1/2 in. x 5 1/2 in. ( 6.4 cm x 14 cm )
Credit LineBequest of Margaret Watson ParkerLabel copySince the late sixteenth century, red has competed with black as a favored color for Raku ware tea bowls. Red Raku bowls come in an astonishingly wide range of colors, from a rusty orange to a pale pink. They are made with a clear glaze over red slip (thin, watery clay). The term Raku in Japanese pottery can refer either to a lineage of makers or to a style: here it probably indicates the style rather than the maker of the bowl. Similarities to pottery made in western Japan suggest that this bowl may come from a workshop in the Hagi or KAratsu area. The bowl demonstrates the wide appeal of the Raku technique to tea practitioners of late Edo-period Japan.
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Raku ware shallow tea bowl
Japan, Edo period
(1615–1868)
19th century
Earthenware with red glaze
Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker, 1954/1.536
Since the late sixteenth century, red has competed with black as a favored color for Raku ware tea bowls. Red Raku bowls come in an astonishingly wide range of colors, from a rusty orange to a pale pink. They are made with a clear glaze over red slip (thin, watery clay). The term Raku in Japanese pottery can refer either to a lineage of makers or to a style: here it probably indicates the style rather than the maker of the bowl. Similarities to pottery made in western Japan suggest that this bowl may come from a workshop in the Hagi or Karatsu area. The bowl demonstrates the wide appeal of the Raku technique to tea practitioners of late Edo-period Japan.
(6/28/10)
Box inscription: "hira aka chawan" (shallow red tea bowl). Raku seal needs further research.
Subject matterSince the late sixteenth century, red has competed with black as a favored color for teabowls. Red bowls come in an astonishingly wide range of colors, from a rusty orange to a pale pink. They are made with a clear glaze over red slip (thin, watery clay). Although this bowl bears a seal reading “raku,” here it probably indicates the style rather than the maker of the bowl. Similarities to pottery made in western Japan suggest that this bowl may come from a workshop in the Hagi or Karatsu area. The bowl demonstrates the wide appeal of the Raku technique to tea practitioners of late Edo-period Japan.
Physical DescriptionThis squat bowl is not smooth but has subtle irregularities in texture and shape, intentionally highlighted by the brilliant red glaze.
Primary Object Classification Ceramic Primary Object Typetea bowlCollection AreaAsianRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
bowls (vessels)
ceramics (object genre)
red-gloss (pottery style)