Chawan Chawan with Peonies Made of Kyoto Ware by Toraku Morisato

The peony is traditionally regarded in Japan as the queen of flowers and a symbol of prosperity and honor, a motif that this tea bowl displays in luminous gold on deep vermilion red. The chawan is crafted in the Kyoto-yaki style, a tradition distinguished by elegant painting and fine porcelain glazes that has been prized at the imperial court for centuries. It bears the stamp of Toraku Morisato, whose masterful gold painting lends the bowl an almost courtly splendor.

Both inside and outside, the glaze is kept in a rich red, against which the golden outlines of the blossoms stand out like fine threads. The white-glazed foot forms a quiet contrast to the vividly colored body and rounds off the composition harmoniously.

The tea bowl is delivered in a wooden box signed by the master potter, which marks the piece as a special collector's item. With its festive coloring, this chawan from the Shōwa period is as well suited to the tea ceremony as it is to serving as a decorative highlight in a display case.