Water dropper (suiteki) c. 20th century

Takita Kōichi made this Water Dropper, or suiteki, with glazed ceramic. Isn't it kind of gorgeous? I mean, imagine the careful, iterative process of shaping, firing, and glazing. Thinking about the labor, skill, and patience it must have taken makes me want to slow down and really consider what it might have been like to create it. The artist probably thought about the purpose of the object as they were making it. How will the water be released? How will it feel in the hand? How will it look on a desk? The vertical ridges create subtle shadows and textures, giving the piece a tactile quality that draws you in. It looks so smooth. I wonder if its creator knew that one day people like us would be standing here looking at it? I bet they did!