Accessories: Box, paulownia wood, label by Katsuzo Sōsai, same lid with inscription by Jūshin Sōsai
Provenance: Kyoto Teramura family—Kodai Maru family—Osaka family
Dimensions
Height: 8.5–8.8 cm Mouth diameter: 12.0–13.9 cm Foot diameter: 5.8 cm Same height: 0.8 cm Weight: 577 g
This tea bowl is the most extravagant and large of the Shino tea bowls, with a bold design.
The workmanship is casual, the clay is coarse and rough, and the way the clay is taken from the side of the foot is relaxed and interesting.
The glaze is not artificial, and the shades of color appear naturally, with the pale areas forming a beautiful crimson color.
A simple brushstroke depicts what appears to be a willow tree and a bridge, but this tea bowl is enjoyable even without the painting.
The inscription “Hagoromo” likely refers to the Noh play of the same name.
Such a tea bowl, even by this artist, is unlikely to be replicated. The reason is that it was created by the natural forces of the kiln’s intense flames, a process beyond human control. It is one of the most distinctive examples of Shino-style tea bowls.
