Height: 8.5 cm, Mouth Diameter: 13.5 cm, Foot Diameter: 5.3 cm
While ‘Nue’ is renowned as a classic example of Dōnyū’s red raku tea bowls, this bowl is a masterpiece every bit as fine as “Nue.” With the rim slightly curved inward, a gentle bulge in the body, a rounded waist, and a taut footring, its form embodies Dōnyū’s characteristic, expansive style. The bowl is thin throughout, with a large, wide interior; it features no tea pool. Tea pools are extremely rare in Dōnyū’s tea bowls, and the characteristic of his work is to create a wide interior without one. This is a red raku ware piece with the character “Raku” stamped inside the footring, coated with yellow clay, and finished with a transparent glaze. However, faint green fire-change patterns appear on both the body and the rim, while the rest is fired to the bright red raku characteristic of Dōnyū. The name “Tanayuki” (Light Snow) was likely given because white areas where the yellow clay has been burned away appear in parts of the fire-change patterns.
On the underside of the inner box lid, Jushinsai has inscribed “Nonkō Red Tea Bowl: Light Snow (seal mark),” while on the outer box, Rokurokusai has inscribed “Red Tea Bowl made by Nonkō, inscribed ‘Light Snow’ by Jushin; its craftsmanship rivals even that of the Nüe (seal mark).” One truly feels the depth of that sentiment.
This tea bowl has been passed down in the Fujita family.
