An Asahi-yaki Tea Bowl with Extraordinary Maki-e Gold Repairs
- Artist:
- —
- Era:
- Shōwa
- Price:
- SOLD
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One of the most extraordinary gold repairs I have seen on a tea bowl in my nearly 30 years in Japan. If you search far and wide occasionally you can find maki-e gold painting on ceramic pieces, however, in almost all cases it is the “seigaiha” pattern of overlapping half waves. Here we see a rather intricate composition of autumn botanical leaves and florals on a “nashiji” or pear-skin gold painting that utilizes an alloy of gold and copper to achieve this radiant and textured effect. To make things even better, the tea bowl itself is fabulous. Crafted by master artisan 14th generation Shorin Hosai, this Asahi-yaki tea bowl displays subtle but radiant hues of ivory, salmon, ash, and aquamarine. The crowning touch…it carries the endorsement of the 14th Grand Tea Master of Urasenke; Tantan-sai, who granted it the very fitting name “Akebono.”
Asahi Hosai XIV (1921–2004), born in Uji, Kyoto, was the fourteenth head of the Asahiyaki kiln, one of Enshū’s Seven Kilns. Guided by a philosophy of quiet refinement and continuity through innovation, he upheld the poetic beauty of kirei-sabi while modernizing the kiln’s technology and materials. After succeeding to the lineage in 1946, he rebuilt postwar Asahiyaki with serene celadon and kohiki works rooted in Uji clay, introduced the world’s first smokeless ascending kiln in the 1970s, and deepened ties with the tea world through collaborations with Urasenke Tantansai and the Mikasa Imperial family. Granted the art name Yūkō-an by Daitoku-ji’s abbot in 1995, Hosai XIV embodied a synthesis of tradition and progress—preserving Asahiyaki’s 400-year spirit while ensuring its graceful evolution into the modern age.
In excellent condition with stunning gold repairs that add to the depth of the composition, this piece is 5.5 inches in diameter (14cm) and stands 2.75 inches tall (7cm). It comes with its original wood box signed and sealed by the artist and, as mentioned above, with the endorsement of the 14th Grand Tea Master of Urasenke. Contact us for additional images or details.
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