Teabowl 1840 - 1860

This striking teabowl was crafted by Makuzu Kōzan I, also known as Miyagawa Toranosuke, during a period when Japan was navigating rapid modernization and engagement with the West. Kōzan's work embodies a fascinating intersection of tradition and innovation. As Japan opened up to global trade, artists like Kōzan were tasked with preserving Japanese artistic heritage while also creating works that appealed to international tastes. He mastered a variety of ceramic techniques, often blending them in a single piece. The rich, dark glaze of this teabowl, with its network of fine cracks, is a testament to his technical skill, but it also evokes a sense of wabi-sabi, the Japanese aesthetic of finding beauty in imperfection and impermanence. This piece stands as a reminder of the complex cultural negotiations that occur when societies encounter one another, and the deeply personal ways in which artists respond to these shifts.