Shallow Bowl with a Flower 黄瀬戸草花文平鉢きせとそうかもんひらばち

Description

This type of pottery is known as “Ki-seto.” 'Ki' in Japanese means 'yellow,' while 'Seto' is the name of an area located in modern-day Aichi Prefecture. As the name suggests, Ki-seto pottery features a distinctive yellow glaze. It was not produced in Seto though, but rather in the kilns of Mino, an area that encompasses the cities of Kani and Toki in modern-day Gifu prefecture. At the time, Seto was famous for pottery production, so perhaps this name was borrowed to give Ki-seto pottery a kind of brand recognition. Mino has long been known as a center for the production of cups and plates for daily use or vessels for the tea ceremonies. These vessels included Shino and Ki-seto pottery in the Azuchi-Momoyama period around the 16th century, and boldly-designed Oribe pottery in the following Edo period.

The yellow glaze of Ki-seto pottery ware was first commonly used for tea bowls modelled after Chinese Tenmoku bowls. It gradually developed into the calm, warm hue seen here. The shape of the bowl is modelled after celadon glazed bowls that were produced in China's Longquan kilns. The bottom of the bowl is decorated with a simple flowering plant design, with flecks of green color added using copper. The contrast between the rough, leisurely shape and the delicate colors is the product of a uniquely-Japanese aesthetic sensibility.

With its coarse texture and bright glaze, the bowl must have imbued the tea room with a warm, lively air.

This bowl was designed for serving food at tea gatherings. It represents a type of pottery called Yellow Seto, developed in the late 1500s in response to demand for tea utensils crafted in fresh, new styles. The Yellow Seto style is playfully nicknamed “deep-fried tofu” for its texture and color, as illustrated by this piece.