Chawan Chawan Made of Raku Ware by Keiraku Ito with Gold Decoration

The pine is regarded in Japan as a symbol of permanence, longevity, and resilience, and this very motif runs in fine gold across the dark walls of this tea bowl. Against the deep black ground of the Raku glaze, the needles and branches of the pine stand out clearly, lending the chawan an almost calligraphic quality. The bowl bears the stamp of Keiraku Ito and, as is typical for Raku-yaki, is entirely hand-built, which is reflected in its slightly irregular, organic shape.

The gold painting was applied by hand after the glaze firing, giving it a sculptural, lively quality, almost as if the pine branch were traveling across the curve of the bowl. The dark ground gives the motif additional contrast and makes every point where the branches emerge clearly visible.

Delivered in a wooden box signed by the potter with a round seal impression, this tea bowl is a particularly eloquent example of how Japanese ceramics unite pictorial symbolism and craftsmanship. A piece from the Shōwa period for collectors with an appreciation for motif and fine gold painting.