Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 143, The Timothy Sainsbury Gallery

Tea Bowl

1700-1800 (made)
Place of origin

The use of white slip inlay on this bowl mimics the technique used to create the designs on stamped punch'ong ceramics made in Korea during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The freely expressive aesthetic of punch'ong decoration was cherished by tea ceremony masters in Japan and similar wares were crafted there to meet demand.

As with Korean punch'ong wares, the design was quickly created by stamping and incising a pattern into the surface of the bowl. Creamy white slip (liquid clay) was then applied. With the excess slip removed, the inlaid decoration stands crisply visible against the body of the bowl.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Stoneware, stamped and inlaid
Brief description
Cer, Japan, stamped and inlaid stoneware bowl, about 1700-1800
Physical description
Stoneware bowl with footring, stamped and inlaid with creamy slip under clear glaze. Interior decoration consists of a central circle with seven stamped flower heads surrounded by concentric rings and a band of stamped decoration. Stamped scroll design and two concentric rings at rim. The external decoration consists of a broad band of flowers and foliate scrolls with concentric rings and linear designs towards the rim.
Dimensions
  • Height: 6.4cm
  • Diameter: 14.8cm
Styles
Gallery label
Bowl Stoneware with impressed and slip-filled decoration under a clear glaze JAPANESE; c.1700-1800 C.402-1940 Given by Sir Frank Brangwyn, RA(as at 2005)
Credit line
Given by Sir Frank Brangwyn, RA
Summary
The use of white slip inlay on this bowl mimics the technique used to create the designs on stamped punch'ong ceramics made in Korea during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The freely expressive aesthetic of punch'ong decoration was cherished by tea ceremony masters in Japan and similar wares were crafted there to meet demand.

As with Korean punch'ong wares, the design was quickly created by stamping and incising a pattern into the surface of the bowl. Creamy white slip (liquid clay) was then applied. With the excess slip removed, the inlaid decoration stands crisply visible against the body of the bowl.
Collection
Accession number
C.402-1940

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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