Teabowl 1850

This teabowl was made by Eiraku Wazen, who lived in Japan during the late Edo and Meiji periods, a time of significant social and political change as Japan opened up to the West. As the son of a prominent potter, Wazen inherited a legacy deeply intertwined with the tea ceremony, a ritual central to Japanese culture. Yet, he lived during a time when Japan faced internal conflicts regarding modernization and the preservation of cultural identity. The monochrome glaze, a stark contrast to the ornate styles of his predecessors, is known as "black Raku" ware. This style was favored by tea masters for its simplicity and depth. Imagine holding this bowl, the rough texture grounding you in the present moment. Wazen's teabowl is more than just a vessel; it's a reflection on Japan’s negotiation between tradition and modernity, an embrace of simplicity amidst complexity, inviting us to contemplate our own relationship to history.