Teabowl 1700 - 1720

This is a teabowl made by Sonyu, sometime between 1625 and 1725. Notice the bowl’s dark glaze, a color that may have initially symbolized night or the unknown. Consider its undulating rim. This detail is reminiscent of the natural world, and water, perhaps even the waves of the sea. Images of water, especially in its turbulent forms, have long been associated with the subconscious, a source of both creativity and anxiety. In ancient mythologies, the sea is often the birthplace of gods and monsters, a liminal space where the boundaries of reality blur. This wavy pattern can be seen in the hems of the robes of the Cretese snake goddesses, a Minoan symbol of feminine power and regeneration. The glaze and shape of this bowl remind us that symbols evolve, carrying echoes of past meanings while acquiring new significance with each use. The image of water engages us, resonating with our own primal understanding. In it, the cyclical progression of cultural memory is plain to see.