Two-color glazed ware: cup.
8th century
Height 5.6cm, Bowl diameter 31.3cm, Bottom diameter 26.3cm
Shosoin
Shosoin has three pieces of the same form of nisai-ban in the Shosoin Repository, including this piece. This piece was once included in the category of “porcelain dish bowls,” but was renamed “large flat bowls” in the 1962-1964 survey. The inscription on the back of the bowl reads, “Memorial table,” suggesting that a larger version of the cup was called a table.
The base is a grayish-yellowish-white color, and the firing is well done, with “fire” clearly visible under the glaze on the outer surface (lower portion of the photo). The glaze appears to be a haphazard mixture of green and white glazes without any design, but the interior of the dish looks as if it was intended to be decorated with a series of two-tiered arcs, like other Nisai platters, but since it is well melted and flowing down, it appears to be disordered. There are marks on the edge of the inner bottom and the center of the outer bottom from the overlaying process. On the back of the bottom, there is an inscription that reads, “Kidoin Seidoin Sacred Monks’ Memorial Offering Board, Todaiji Temple, July 19, Tenpyo Shoho 7th year, Tenpyo Shoho 7th year. It is known to have been used for the puja of Emperor Shomu’s mother, Nakamiya, on this day.
