NORTHERN KUMANO

I recently received this picture from a collector I know slightly to the north of me. This rugged chawan has a strong, powerful form, articulated by dramatic throwing marks and is covered in a glacial coating of luminescent glass around the pot. Obviously by Kumano Kuroemon this chawan is both typical and not by the potter, I say that because every time you think you have a handle on what he makes something else pops up and this pot is just that example. One feature that is not commonly seen is that there is a large area of very thick glass that has cascaded down the side (not seen in this photo) that runs all the way down to the kodai looking to be over a quarter of an inch thick and as we move on to the interior there is a thick, deep reservoir around the bowls interior of a crisper, green, emerald like glass where the ash has pooled at an angle showing the precise position of the bowl inside the kiln. Last but not least is the myriad of rivulets of brown, ashy iron that are making their way down the interior back wall of the chawan adding a vivid, almost tortoise shell style pattern over the Kuma-Shino glaze. Like many potters, most of Kumano's chawan are unique but there is always something new to see in his work, from pot to pot and firing to firing and if this doesn't keep you interested and wanting to see more, I am just not sure what would.