Ingen Teapot 隱元壺 thumbnail 1
Ingen Teapot 隱元壺 thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Ingen Teapot 隱元壺

Teapot
2017 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Gao Zhenyu made this teapot especially for the V&A collection. It is a replica of a teapot that once belonged to the Chinese monk Ingen Ryūki 隱元隆琦 who travelled to Japan in 1654. Ingen founded the Ōbaku school of Zen Buddhism and is credited with introducing the practice of infusing green tea leaves to Japan. Ingen’s teapot is now kept in the temple Manpuku-ji in Kyoto. It is a key example of early zisha (purple clay) tea wares, which were produced in Yixing, Jiangsu province. Unglazed stoneware zisha teapots are prized for their elegant designs and ability to keep the warmth and flavour of tea.

Seeing Ingen’s teapot while he was a student in Japan caused Gao to reflect upon the possibilities of zisha and its historical significance. Ingen’s teapot, re-created by Gao using the same basic material and techniques, is much larger than later examples of zisha wares. The vessel is formed through repeated patting and smoothing of the clay into shape. With no additional ornamentation, the potter’s skill is fully on display. The size of the piece stretches the technical limits of zisha wares.

Gao comes from a family of important Yixing potters. His mother Zhou Guizhen is a National Master in Arts and Crafts. He studied with the master potter Gu Jingzhou (1915-1996) and completed his Masters in Ceramics at Musashino University in Tokyo. He is unusual among zisha potters in that he is equally skilled in working with wheel-thrown porcelain as he is with the hand-modelling of zisha. He also makes more experimental, studio pottery pieces. He is currently a Researcher at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, and moves between his studios in Beijing and Yixing, which he shares with his wife Xu Xu.



Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Teapot
  • Cover
TitleIngen Teapot 隱元壺 (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Unglazed brown stoneware, made of zisha clay sourced from Mount Huanglong, Dingshu, Yixing; hand-built.
Brief description
Teapot, replica of Ingen Ryūki's teapot, Gao Zhenyu, Yixing zisha ware, Beijing, China, 2017
Physical description
Teapot and cover, made of unglazed stoneware, globular shape, cover flush against teapot, potter's mark under the cover and handle, potter's inscription and mark on base.
Dimensions
  • Length: 25cm
  • Height: 14.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 丙申冬月為英國維多利亞阿爾伯特博物館之收藏特製。畫溪陶人記 (Inscribed on base)
    Translation
    In the winter months of the year bingshen (2016/7) made especially for the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Recorded by the Potter of Huaxi.
  • 高震宇印 (Seal mark on base)
    Translation
    Seal of Gao Zhenyu
    Transliteration
    Gao Zhenyu yin
  • 高 (Under handle)
    Transliteration
    Gao
Credit line
Given by the artist
Object history
Made especially for the V&A in 2017
Summary
Gao Zhenyu made this teapot especially for the V&A collection. It is a replica of a teapot that once belonged to the Chinese monk Ingen Ryūki 隱元隆琦 who travelled to Japan in 1654. Ingen founded the Ōbaku school of Zen Buddhism and is credited with introducing the practice of infusing green tea leaves to Japan. Ingen’s teapot is now kept in the temple Manpuku-ji in Kyoto. It is a key example of early zisha (purple clay) tea wares, which were produced in Yixing, Jiangsu province. Unglazed stoneware zisha teapots are prized for their elegant designs and ability to keep the warmth and flavour of tea.

Seeing Ingen’s teapot while he was a student in Japan caused Gao to reflect upon the possibilities of zisha and its historical significance. Ingen’s teapot, re-created by Gao using the same basic material and techniques, is much larger than later examples of zisha wares. The vessel is formed through repeated patting and smoothing of the clay into shape. With no additional ornamentation, the potter’s skill is fully on display. The size of the piece stretches the technical limits of zisha wares.

Gao comes from a family of important Yixing potters. His mother Zhou Guizhen is a National Master in Arts and Crafts. He studied with the master potter Gu Jingzhou (1915-1996) and completed his Masters in Ceramics at Musashino University in Tokyo. He is unusual among zisha potters in that he is equally skilled in working with wheel-thrown porcelain as he is with the hand-modelling of zisha. He also makes more experimental, studio pottery pieces. He is currently a Researcher at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, and moves between his studios in Beijing and Yixing, which he shares with his wife Xu Xu.

Collection
Accession number
FE.1-2017

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Record createdJanuary 13, 2017
Record URL
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