Tea bowl

The tea bowl is complete; a break has been repaired with glue. It is circular in shape. In profile, the bowl has an upwardly flaring wall topped by a straight rim. The lower part of the wall is curved towards the bottom, which is flat. The bowl rests on a small annular foot. The outer rim of the foot is beveled and free of glaze. The bottom is flat and recessed. The decoration covers the outside of the bowl, as well as the inside rim and bottom. The decoration is of the scenic lake type and is treated in Imari. It is hand-painted in two-tone blue underglaze, then traced and painted in iron red, with gold highlights, over glaze. The braid under the inner edge is traced in blue and outlined with a fillet. It is composed of two alternately repeated elements. One element is a plant motif traced and painted in red, bordered by two leaves traced and painted in blue, and set between arched lines traced in blue. The second element consists of concentric, intersecting groups of curved lines. The background is decorated with small rocks amidst waves. The main decoration on the outer wall consists of islands drawn in blue and painted in faded red in places. The main island is adorned with tufts of grass traced in blue and red; it supports a tall pagoda traced and painted in blue and red with gilding, at the window of which stands a person. It is flanked by a blue-painted fence. The opposite wall features a large boulder rising out of the water, traced and painted blue with red grass. Two boats ply the water. In the background is another rocky island, supporting three gable-roofed houses, outlined in blue and painted faded red. They are flanked by a large tree, painted blue and adorned with flowers traced and painted red with gilding. Winged insects painted in blue and red twirl in the sky. Blue-painted mountains rise up in the distance.