Though I have
written and posted about Okano Hosei previously, I have to say, this oburi
Shigaraki chawan just captured my attention when I first saw it. Large and in
charge probably describe the attitude of this bowl which was well fired, upside
down to boot where gravity defying effects are painted across the surface
creating a rather captivating landscape. The form itself is simple but from a
non-chanoyu person’s perspective and thinking of it as a vessel, it is nearly
perfect; full, round, the perfect silhouette where volume, posture and attitude
reign supreme*. The interior, the mikomi and at the other end, the kodai are
both very well attended completing this simple package or rather aiding in
tying it all together. There are a number of details when all assembled, create a
captivating chawan, perhaps (?) the best one I have seen by Okano, excepting
one, illustrated in an exhibition catalogue. On a side note, at some point after the purchase of this chawan, the new
owner(s) wrote to Okano-san and asked about the bowl and its “unexplained”
details to which he replied with a lengthy letter complete with several drawn
illustrations of how the bowl was fired upside down and where it was placed in
the kiln. This letter accompanied the chawan to the “New World” and with any
luck will continue on through time as a testament of a wonderful bowl and a
connection between potter and customer, possibly friend that I suspect has been
echoed throughout history.
(* Yes, that was an IRON CHEF reference.)
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