chawan (Tea Bowl)

A tea bowl or chawan (茶碗) is used in the Japanese tea ceremony known as sadō/chadō (茶道, “the way of tea”) or cha no yu (茶の湯, “hot-water-tea”). Sadō is an artistic ritual of preparing and serving green tea.

Fukushima Buzan (福島武山) (b. 1944) is a ceramic artist from Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. He is the leading figure of the akaesaibyō (赤絵細描) or “fine patterns in red” style Kutani ware.

The bowl is in the style known as Kutani yaki (九谷焼), which was first practiced in Kutani in today’s Ishikawa prefecture in the seventeenth century. A particular painting technique called akaesaibyō (赤絵細描) or “fine patterns in red” where gold dust is applied on detailed design in red is used for this bowl.

Ceramic bowl with design in eight segments separated by curvilinear bands. A horizontal thin band divides design. Each segment has four different small overall patterns in red. The bands have four different patterns in red and gold. Band around upper edge has four patterns in eight segments. Band at lower part of bowl curves into foot and has border pattern in red and gold. Upper edge of interior has red floral design.