late 16th century

Momoyama period

Pottery with Black Raku glaze; black lacquer repairs
H: 8.5 W: 4.8 cm
Kyoto, Japan

Gift of Charles Lang Freer F1902.52

The small size, minimal sculpting, and dull black glaze associate this bowl with the formative phase of Raku tea bowl production in the 1580s, when this type of hand-formed bowl allegedly originated through the collaboration of Chojiro (died 1589), a maker of roof tiles, and Sen no Rikyu (1522–1591), the foremost tea master of the day. This bowl does not closely resemble the workmanship associated specifically with Chojiro; it may have been made by another potter in Chojiro's workshop--or even by a completely unrelated workshop. Recent archaeological findings indicate that several different Kyoto workshops were producing such tea bowls. The Raku workshop lasted longest and became best known.