Object Details
Description
Water-jar (mizusashi) in form of a well-head, quadrilateral, cypress (sugi) wood cover with nashiji lacquer lining and metal ornaments of crab and bird.
Clay: hard, dense, cream-colored stoneware
Glaze: transparent, finely crackled
Decoration: in pink, light green and pale lavender enamels and gold, over glaze. Chrysanthemums, grasses and vines outside. Peony scroll band at top of inside. Underglaze impression of grasses outside.
Label
In the tea ceremony, the water jar holds cold water used to replenish the kettle as boiling water is ladled out to make bowls of tea. Tea practitioners paid special attention to certain famous wells as sources of delicious water-a key element in Japanese gardens. This jar's form represents the wooden curb surrounding such a well. Chrysanthemums rendered in pale colors and gold suggest a private garden setting enclosing the well and also indicate the season.
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
Cornucopia: Ceramics of Southern Japan (December 19, 2009 to January 9, 2011)
East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art (February 24 to May 13, 2007)
Freer: A Taste for Japanese Art (July 1, 2006 to January 1, 2007)
Games, Contests and Artful Play in Japan (March 19 to October 23, 2005)
Garden Potteries and Official Kilns: Clan-Sponsored Ceramics in the Edo Period (January 16, 1986 to November 3, 1986)
Japanese Art—Autumn Voices (October 14, 1981 to December 16, 1981)
Japanese Ceramics (April 11, 1978 to January 17, 1980)
Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons in Japanese Art (September 14, 1977 to April 8, 1978)
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Date
1880-1890
Period
Meiji era
Accession Number
F1897.10a-b
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Vessel
Medium
White stoneware with enamels over clear glaze; wood, metal, and lacquer lid
Dimensions
H x W x D: 17.9 x 17.3 x 17.4 cm (7 1/16 x 6 13/16 x 6 7/8 in)
Style
Satsuma ware, Nishiki type
Origin
Kagoshima prefecture, Japan
Related Online Resources
Google Arts & Culture
See more items in
National Museum of Asian Art
Data Source
National Museum of Asian Art
Topic
lacquer
ceramic
peony
Satsuma ware, Nishiki type
Meiji era (1868 - 1912)
water
tea
crab
swallow
Japan
stoneware
Japanese Art
Charles Lang Freer collection
Link to Original Record
Record ID
fsg_F1897.10a-b