Project Description

This tea bowl was created around 1850, by a Kyoto-based potter by the name of Lokuba. As the capital and seat of the Imperial Court in Japan for over 1000 years, Kyoto set the quality standard for arts and crafts. Artists who hail from this region are considered to be some of the best, and pottery, though common throughout Japan, was one of Kyoto’s specialties. This tea bowl is decorated with a Mishima decoration. While many know Mishima as a town in Japan, in modern times the name has become synonymous with the process of inlaying slip, underglaze, or even clay into the contrasting clay main body of the pottery piece. Originally created by skilled Korean potters, this style of design can lead to the intriguing, intricate designs, and has become a popular style within the realm of East Asian pottery. This bowl has a dark brown glaze with a white underglaze pattern, revealed by cutting out the design, primarily a dot and flower pattern. Two circular indentations on opposite sides of the body help grip the bowl.

-Charla Hamilton, Class of 2015

Object Details

Lokuba
c. 1850
20.165
3 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Ceramics
Gift of Dorothy Tredennick. 1966