Tea bowl

The tea bowl is complete. It is circular in shape. In profile, the bowl has an upwardly flared wall topped by a flared rim. The lower part of the wall curves towards the flat bottom. 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 inner rim and bottom and the outer wall. The decoration is plant-like, treated in Imari. It is hand-painted in two-tone blue underglaze, then traced and painted in iron red, with gold highlights, over glaze. A fillet is traced under the inner rim in blue. The center of the background is adorned with a ring traced in blue surrounding a small leafy stem, traced and painted in blue, and surmounted by ribbed leaves and flowers, traced and painted in red. The central flower is outlined in blue and painted red with gilding. The decoration on the outer wall is bordered at the top and base by a fillet traced in blue. It consists of three alternately repeated elements. The main motif is a stem traced in blue, trimmed with leaves painted in blue with gilding and in red, some with veins. They support small flowers traced and painted in blue with gold and red. One side is bordered by an awning rolled up at its base, traced in blue and its blades traced in red; it is fitted with two cords traced and painted in blue with gilding. The other element bordering the plant is a rectangular pillar, flared at the ends, traced and painted in blue; its ends, in reserve, are adorned with a half-flower traced and painted in red. The top is covered with a shiny brown iron-based plaster.