Copyright ©2020 Shirakura Gallery - Kyoto, Japan. All Rights Reserved.

Shirakura Gallery

  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
  • SERVICES
  • GUEST BOOK
Copyright ©2020 Shirakura Gallery - Kyoto, Japan. All Rights Reserved.

Shirakura Gallery

Raku XV “Reki-yu” Tea Bowl

Author: info@shirakuragallery.com

Raku tea bowls and other tea-ware implements are shaped by hand, using clay that was prepared often several generations before by a previous Kichizaemon (master potter in the Raku tradition). The kilns are all wood-fired and the glazes and methods used are family secrets, handed down over generations, for the last 450 years.

Born in 1941 and taking over as master potter in 1983, the 15th Kichizaemon recently stepped down to make way for his son Atsundo who became the new torchbearer of the Raku line. Following the tradition of Raku potters, after retiring he took on an artists name and is now known as “Jikinyu” while his son Atsundo is now known as Raku Kichizaemon XVI. The tea bowl featured here was crafted at the very end of the 20th century; and, though based on designs of the great masters nearly half-a-millennia ago, clearly demonstrates the nature of XV’s unique, yet subtle genius. 

Unlike previous Raku potters, XV took great liberties with form and proved far more innovative in his approach to crafting tea-ware ceramics. So much so in fact, that many of his more experimental pieces are not well-suited for drinking tea out of. The piece featured here however, is ideal for preparing and drinking matcha green tea. The smooth contours and silky glaze allow the cha-sen (bamboo tea whisk) to move freely, unobstructed; the construction, meanwhile, allows the the tea to cool to the perfect temperature; and the form allows the bowl to sit naturally in the hand. 

Tea bowls made by the current Kichizaemon are typically only available to museums, public and private institutions, members of the imperial household, and very well-connected and wealthy practitioners of tea. Now that Jikinyu has retired, his pieces are more available but still hard to come by, especially iconic pieces like the one shown here. A similar example is held by the Raku Museum in Kyoto (link below) and is listed in Raku: A legacy of Japanese Tea Ceramics, p 305 (also in several other publications). The wood box is signed and sealed by XV and is also endorsed by a famous tea master of the Urasenke tea school, Hōunsai.

 

Additional Resrouces:

https://raku-yaki.or.jp/e/museum/collection/collection_16.html

https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/project/culture/exhibit/oversea/2014/03-01.html

 

  • Artist: Raku Kichizaemon XV
  • Dimensions: H: 12.5cm W: 9cm
  • Era: Contemporary (circa 1998)
  • Price: ¥10,000,000
  • Author: info@shirakuragallery.com

Related Posts

A Raku Tea Bowl by Tamamizu Souske

A Raku Tea Bowl by Tamamizu Souske

A book containing secret techniques used by the kiln has been handed down to each successive generation since the age of Dō’nyū (1599 – 1656). Unlike the main Raku line—that to a certain extent allows each generation of potter to follow their own aesthetic sense—Tamamizu potters have stayed true to the original forms set out by Chōjirō, Dō’nyū, and Kōetsu. The line of Tamamizu potters continued up to early Meiji with the death of Tamamizu 14. However, a recent attempt was made to revive the kiln by a descendent (later dubbed Tamamizu 15) who spent his life collecting Tamamizu-ware from earlier potters, researching the techniques used by studying old manuscripts, and training with main-line Raku potters. Despite these efforts, there remain many historical gaps in our collective knowledge of the kiln and of the individual potters themselves.

A Mizusashi by Raku IX [Ryônyû] (1756 – 1834)

A Mizusashi by Raku IX [Ryônyû] (1756 – 1834)

Raku-ware carries with it a very naturalistic aura; with its implements made of raw clay, its use of fire water and air to shape and harden these implements, and with its myriad processes that produce smooth glossy surfaces—like those often found in nature. In fact, if you look more deeply into Raku, you find that many of the shapes and motifs are also inspired by nature. For example, this masterfully crafted mizusashi (fresh water pot) takes its inspiration from the shape of one of the most important food crops in ancient Japan, the humble sato-imo (sweet potato). Though fashioned over 200 years ago, this piece still displays a beautiful patina and is one of the more striking pieces you will find by this artist—the 9th generation Raku potter known as Ryônyû (1756 – 1834). [Sold]

Sculptured Vase by Takayuki Sakiyama

Sculptured Vase by Takayuki Sakiyama

From a well-known series entitled “Chōtō” (Listening to the Waves) this large contoured vase features a sandy glaze that the sculptor claims is an expression of the features of the landscape where he grew up. The Chōtō series that launched his career proved to be wildly popular and today a number of pieces are held by museums around the world including: Brooklyn Museum; Hyôgo Museum of Ceramics; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Minneapolis Institute of Art; Musée National de Céramique, Sèvres; Museum of Art & Design; New Orleans Museum of Art; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Sano Museum of Art, Mishima City; and Yale University Art Gallery.

Seto-ware Chawan with Kintsugi

Seto-ware Chawan with Kintsugi

This lovely Ido-gata shaped chawan has very nice asymmetrical balance highlighted by extensive and skillfully applied kintsugi gold repairs. The inside bottom of the bowl is covered in a green glaze resembling a carpet of fine moss which stands out nicely agains the backdrop of the ashen-colored crackled glazing of the walls of the bowl. [Sold]