Chawan Chawan Made of Kyoto Ware by Kansai Tsuji

Red and white plum blossoms open beside pale blue and white chrysanthemums, while a feathered creature with speckled plumage winds its way through the composition along the lower edge of the image – the densely painted wall of this tea bowl reads almost like a small painting. A wide gold rim frames the scenery at the top and lends the bowl a festive, refined character.

The elaborate overglaze painting with its clear contours and bold colors in red, blue, green, and gold is typical of the fine Kyo-yaki tradition, in which motifs from nature and the seasons are applied with great precision to the ivory-colored glaze. The combination of wintry plum blossom and autumnal chrysanthemum evokes a celebration of the changing seasons, a theme that has always held great significance in Japanese art. This bowl was made by Kansai Tsuji.

The tea bowl comes in a wooden box signed by the master potter and was created in the Showa period. With its rich painting, it is a magnificent example of traditional Japanese ceramic painting.