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Raku (raku-yaki) is a low-fired ceramic ware
first produced by Sasaki Chojirō (d. 1592) in the 16th century in Kyoto.
Under the encouragement and patronage of his close friend, tea master Sen no Rikyū,
he crafted a style of bowl which was devoid of any decoration or sense
of movement. They were made to embody Rikyū's wabi-cha
philosophy - that is, tea ceremony in which great emphasis is
placed on simplicity, austerity and quiet appreciation.
Although the appellation "Raku" is reserved for those works made by
Chojirō and his successors, the term is used by a number of contemporary Japanese potters who
adhere to the same forming, glazing and firing techniques.
Sawada Hiroyuki is one who stands out among them. An artist with over 35 years of experience crafting
ceramic wares for tea ceremony, Mr. Sawada specializes in raku-yaki
and strives to create bowls with the same sense of presence as those
made by the early Raku masters.
This aka (red) raku chawan
is formed entirely by hand, without the aid of a potter's wheel, in a
meticulous process which negates any sense of mechanical precision.
After pressing the clay into a flat disk, the artist coaxes the sides
upward into a rounded (goki-gata) bowl shape. During the
process, the artist's hands are cupped around the bowl in the same
manner as they would be for drinking tea. Thus, from its
inception, the work seems
to have been destined for a certain purpose. Textural
impressions left behind by the potter's hands
convey a sense of warmth and humility that is unlike any other genre
of pottery.
After drying, the bowl is fired in a special low-temperature kiln used
only for raku firing. The copper-based glaze renders varying
shades of red, which is one reason why aka raku is a favorite among
tea ceremony practitioners. Being green's complimentary color,
it beautifully presents whipped matcha unlike any other vessel.
See
Sawada Hiroyuki's
2009 Hankyu exhibition for more works from his recent collection.
A wooden presentation box will be custom made to order and signed by
the artist. Delivery time for this item is 3 weeks.
Raku bowls are intended solely
for the preparation of matcha green tea.
See
raku
glazing safety for more
information.
A display cloth (fukusa) is included.
special raku care
instructions |
