Potter: Hatsumi Yutaka

Approximate size: W4.5″ by H3.1″ or 11.5 by 8.0 cm

Available for purchase is a formal kuro-Oribe chawan by Yutaka Hatsumi (1950-). Half cylinder shape with chamfered sides. Bearing the expert painting of 2 sprinting hares next to one another. The opposite side is adorned by a traditionally Japanese pattern of intertwining swastika or manji. This chawan features a soft and rich brown glaze which is quite different from the more often seen pitch black. This is due to a lack of manganese in the glaze which is rare to find on Oribe chawan. This chawan is a real jewel that will enrich any collection.

Oribe is a visual style named after the late 16th century tea master Furuta Oribe (1544-1615). It’s most often seen in pottery, but extends to textiles and paintings. Oribe was of the Bushi class and not a potter however he also (like many other influential figures in Japan’s art history), something akin to an art director or designer. He embodied the spirit of wabi tea so completely that he was able to give it form in a truly new and unique vision. Boldly formed, often intentionally distorted chawan, decorated with green, black and brown glazes and abstract designs, appeared on the tea ceremony scene in Kyoto.

The motifs, taken from nature or other decorative patterns such as textiles, were ground-breaking in their bold informality. Casting aside Korean and Chinese influences, they were also entirely Japanese. It must have been this recognition of a new Japanese aesthetic that caused tea devotees to cherish Oribe ware. Its ability to capture something of the artistic and spiritual soul of Japan quickly spread throughout the country, and its mass popularity continues to this day.

Further authenticating this tea bowl is the written appraisal called ‘hakogaki’ by Sekio Fukumoto (1930-), the preceding Head Priest of the Horin Temple. A part of the Rinzai sect at the Shoshun-Ji temple. The Shoshun-Ji temple is a part of the Daitoku Temple Complex.

The haki, presence and atmosphere of this kuro-Oribe chawan was likened to auspicious clouds, and was therefor named by Sekio Fukumoto Zui-In (Auspicious Clouds).

Throughout the late Momoyama (1573–1615), and early Edo periods (1615–1868), in Japan, the art of the Japanese tea ceremony underwent new developments. Great tea masters such as Takeno Jōō (1502-1555), Sen no Rikyū (1522-1591), and Furuta Oribe (1544–1615), revolutionized the utensils, rituals and ceramics used in tea ceremonies. As time passed, technology improved and kilns advanced; improved firing conditions allowed the creation of Oribe ware, a new kind of ceramic used in these tea ceremonies.

There are no chips or cracks and comes in the original high quality shiho-san tomobako, storage box with appraisal on the inside of the lid and bears calligraphy and stamp of authenticity on the outside of the box. There’s also a dedicated tomonuno or tea cloth. For your consideration an exceptional Oribe chawan in mint condition complete with appraisal and accessories.

€420 + shipping cost