Object Details
Artist
Hozan Bunzo 宝山文造
Description
Tea-cup, probably for serving New Year herbal tea
Clay: fine, cream.
Glaze: translucent, delicately crackled.
Decoration: over glaze, in gold, in oxydized silver, and in blue. Paulownia and chrysanthemum crests.
Mark: Hozan, inside rectangular frame, impressed on base to left of small impressed circle at center of base.
Marks
Mark: Hozan, inside rectangular frame, impressed on base to left of small impressed circle at center of base.
Mark: Hozan, inside rectangular frame, impressed on base to left of small impressed circle at center of base.
Label
Each year the Hozan Bunzo workshop in Awataguchi supplied small cups to the imperial palace, to be used for serving "great good fortune" (obuku) tea during the New Year festivities.The mixture of seaweed powder, pickled plum, and powdered spice was said to have been invented by the holy man Kuya (903-972) as antidote for a plague. The exquisitely shaped and decorated cups were used only once before being given to guests as souvenirs.
Provenance
To 1906
Unidentified owner, Nikko, Japan, to 1906 [1]
From 1906 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from an unidentified owner, Nikko, Japan, in 1906 [2]
From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
Notes:
[1] See Original Pottery List, L. 399, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. See also, Accession List, Collections Management office.
[2] See note 1.
[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
Japanese Art of the Meiji Era (September 20, 1997 to April 26, 1998)
Kyoto Ceramics (November 9, 1984 to April 25, 1985)
Previous custodian or owner
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Date
Second half of 19th century
Period
Edo period or Meiji era
Accession Number
F1906.26
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Vessel
Medium
Stoneware with clear glaze, gold and silver overglaze enamels
Dimensions
H x Diam: 5.8 × 9.5 cm (2 5/16 × 3 3/4 in)
Style
Kyoto ware
Origin
Hozan Bunzo workshop, Awata, Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture, Japan
Related Online Resources
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See more items in
National Museum of Asian Art
Data Source
National Museum of Asian Art
Topic
enameling
ceramic
Kyoto ware
Edo period (1615 - 1868)
Meiji era (1868 - 1912)
tea
Japan
stoneware
Japanese Art
Charles Lang Freer collection
Link to Original Record
Record ID
fsg_F1906.26