I'm a bit mad about tea bowls!
I love the aesthetic of tea bowls.
Something about the tactile experience of holding a miniature work of art, an artisan created object.
Maybe the history and culture of the japanese tea ceremony comes through as you sip.
Maybe the history and culture of the japanese tea ceremony comes through as you sip.
The japanese name for tea bowl is chawan 茶碗 and there are many varieties depending on where they were made, shape colour etc.
copper glazed porcelain by BrucesArtStudio
Tea has been drunk in Japan since the 8th or 9th century, having been introduced from China.
Tea was used as a medicine and as a ritual drink. Over the centuries the highly ritualised japanese tea ceremony evolved.
But it was Sasaki Chojiro (1516-92) who popularised the raku form of the tea bowl.
tea bowl by Ogata Kenzan (1663- 1743)
Tea bowls can be formed out of any clay from fine porcelain to the rough earthy earthenware.
I love the texture of the rough lumpy ones.
I believe this is the aesthetic of wabi sabi - which can be described as the finding of beauty in the impermanence and imperfection of things.
Here are some of my favoite tea bowls made by the craftspeople of etsy -
For more information about the tea cermony go to wikwipedia or another informative article is here.
3 comments:
I guess I never really looked at tea bowls that closely before. Thanks for the education, and the reminder that I didn't have my green tea today!! ^_^
me too!! So many of these are gorgeous! (I have five new tabs sitting open behind here for me to go investigate ;) )
I'm a bit into double walled tea glasses too at the moment.
One day...
Oh, we seem to share a passion for tea and tea paraphernalia. I don't know very much about tea bowls, though, so I am appreciative of this post!
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