Untitled

Unknown

15th–16th century · Red lacquer; Negoro ware · Asian Art

Tea was central to life in the Chan/Zen Buddhist monastery. Monks drank it to sustain themselves over long periods of meditation, and it served as the focal point of formal ceremonies held by abbots for visiting dignitaries. This assemblage of bowl and stand captures the austere elegance of Zen tea ceremony aesthetics in Muromachi-period Japan. A darkly-hued Chinese tea bowl is paired with a Japanese lacquer stand, the red surface of which has abraded over time to reveal the black underlayer, a prized effect that develops with use and age.

Artist

Unknown

Date

15th–16th century

Medium

Red lacquer; Negoro ware

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2019