Promulgation of the Contemporary Tea Ceremony 1694

Curator: The artwork before us, “Promulgation of the Contemporary Tea Ceremony,” created in 1694 by Endō Genkan, offers a fascinating look into the aesthetics and practices of its time. What do you notice first? Editor: The immediacy. The quick, almost frenetic linework, combined with the aged paper creates an impression of something very intimate, like a personal sketchbook. There’s an interesting dance between the structured elements, like the grid on the left page, and more organic shapes on the right. Curator: Exactly. These personal sketchbooks or "ukiyo-e" as they were sometimes called, served not just as records but also as tools to popularize cultural practices. In this case, the evolving tea ceremony. Editor: It seems as though we’re seeing instructions laid bare. The architectural drawing of the tea house and the scattering of forms remind me of a sort of exploded diagram, where the viewer is meant to piece together the components. Curator: Yes, it's both documentation and perhaps a mnemonic aid for those learning the nuances of the ceremony. It also offers a glimpse into the social currency of tea at that moment in Japan. A ritual undergoing constant revision and reinterpretation to stay relevant. Editor: You can also see it on the material level; it’s a rather casual deployment of line to create texture. There's a rawness to the sketchbook that I appreciate. Curator: Agreed, its power comes from how the spontaneity captures a moment in time, the culture shifts occurring when Endō Genkan made it. Editor: This sketchwork feels so alive. Curator: It gives us insight into the cultural and societal weight that something as simple as tea could carry. Editor: Indeed, an excellent marriage of function and aesthetics.