Tea bowl with a brownish black glaze c. 1900 - 1968

This tea bowl, made with a brownish black glaze by A.L. Hetherington, draws you in with its deceptive simplicity. Notice how the form curves from a narrow base to a wider opening, creating a sense of contained volume, a dark void. The glaze, thick and lustrous, doesn't just coat the bowl; it seems to transform it, almost like a liquid that has stilled in time. This glaze pools and thins, playing with light and shadow in ways that challenge our perception of depth and surface. The interplay between the matte texture of the exposed clay at the base and the glossy, almost reflective surface of the glaze sets up a compelling contrast. Think about how this careful manipulation of texture and form might destabilize our expectations. It invites us to question the nature of objects and their surfaces. This tea bowl is a testament to how subtle variations in material and form can engage with philosophical notions of perception and meaning.