Accessories: Box, mulberry paper label with inscription by Sōsai Zō, same inscription on the underside of the lid, poem inscription by the same hand
Provenance: Kōnoike family, 10th generation
Dimensions
Height: 9.9–10.6 cm Mouth diameter: 9.7–10.1 cm Body diameter: 11.2 cm Foot diameter: 6.1 cm Same height: 0.4 cm Weight: 502 g
On the lid of the box that came with this tea bowl, Katsuzan Sōsai has written a poem: “People pass over the bridge, but the water under the bridge does not flow.” This is why the tea bowl is called the “Bridge-Crossing Figures Tea Bowl.”
The painting is done in iron pigment in a simple style, and the figures appear so crude that they seem as if they might fall off the bridge at any moment. However, this is what makes it interesting and beloved by tea connoisseurs.
This is a fairly deep cylindrical tea bowl with a waist bulge. The rim is slightly tightened, and the mountain-shaped design is interesting. There are no grooves or distortions, and the design is straightforward, yet rich in variation. The foot is double-layered, with the glaze applied thickly, revealing triangular patches of unglazed clay.
This tea bowl is deep, with a narrow body diameter, thick walls, and a heavy, dull weight. Its waist-shaped design suggests it was intended for use in extremely cold weather. The figures on the bridge also seem to evoke this theme.
