Celadon lid rest by Suwa Sozan

Width: 6.1cm Height: 5.8cm

What is a lid rest? - Great functionality and aesthetic sense packed into a small vessel

A lid rest is a tool used to temporarily place the lid of a tea kettle or ladle during the tea ceremony. This small piece of equipment, which accompanies the fleeting movements of everyday life, is not only practical but also plays an important role in expressing the aesthetic sense, seasonal feeling and taste of the tea master .

The materials used are diverse, and bamboo, metal, and ceramic pieces like this one have long been prized. Ceramic lid rests in particular offer a high degree of freedom in their design and a richness of expression due to the tones of the glaze , making them an area in which the artist's individuality and philosophy can be more deeply reflected.

A cosmic melody played by three-colored porcelain clay

This piece, "Nerikomi Celadon Lid Rest," was made by kneading together three types of porcelain clay - white porcelain, celadon, and indigo porcelain - and shaping it on a potter's wheel . This technique is called "nerikomi," and it is a production method that requires extremely high skill and sensitivity when it comes to porcelain.

The surface of the vessel features soft, flowing lines that swirl, creating an organic pattern reminiscent of swirling air or water . The brightness of the white porcelain, the transparency of the celadon, and the depth of the indigo porcelain are in exquisite harmony, evoking the image of a gently swaying sky or ocean .

The essence of this technique lies in the lack of artificiality in the design, and Suwa Sozan sees the rhythm of this kneading as a symbol of the creation and harmony of nature , and by deliberately leaving white space in the composition, he creates a calm and gentle atmosphere in the tea ceremony.

Simplicity and tension in the design

The shape is extremely simple, based on a neat cylindrical form. It is within this quiet beauty of form that resides the sense of tension and stability that is appropriate for the tea ceremony .

The balance between height and diameter is ideally designed to naturally support the contact surface of the ladle with the tuyere and the kettle lid, and the thickness and center of gravity make it easy to lift with your fingertips.It does not impair its function as a lid rest, and at the same time, it creates a ceramic landscape that draws the eye.

Tea ceremony performance

This lid rest can be used for both a ro and a furo, and when used to prepare water in a teapot or displayed on a shelf, it adds a refined and poetic touch to a tea ceremony.

In the tea ceremony, the shape and color of the lid rest are chosen according to the season and the theme of the tea ceremony , so works like this one, with their abstract yet natural feel, are extremely effective in creating a sense of the season in tea ceremonies with themes such as "Seimei," "Suzukaze," and "Shimotsuki," which have weather or space themes .

The state of the universe known as Nerikomi

The technique of nerikomi involves layering, cutting, stretching, and rotating different types of porcelain clay to reconstruct it , thereby bringing out the beauty of chance and inevitability. This spirit of respecting "beauty that emerges naturally" resonates perfectly with the ideals of the tea ceremony.

The fourth generation Suwa Sozan sees this nerikomi not simply as a pattern, but as "the very structure of the universe" such as the creation of stars, the movement of wind, and the flow of time.
As evidence of this, works such as "Nerikomi Celadon Tea Bowl - Dawn" and "Star Birth," which were created using the same Nerikomi technique, are filled with symbols of celestial bodies, dawn, and the galaxy , and this lid rest is certainly positioned within that lineage.

Artist profile and legacy

Suwa Sozan IV was born in Kyoto in 1970 and grew up under the tutelage of his father, Suwa Sozan III, and his mother, Nakamura Sotetsu XII. He succeeded to the name of the IV in 2002, and has been recreating the "Kinuta Celadon" that was perfected by the first generation, while pursuing innovation in the field of celadon that resonates with modern tea ceremony culture .

Following in his mother's teachings that "every piece should have a story," he creates each piece with the communion between the user and the vessel in mind, and the time that resides within it .

Conclusion: The lid rest as a "microcosm"

This "Nerikomi Celadon Lid Rest" is a tool that is like a microcosm, with the layers of cosmic time and the rhythms of nature woven into a small vessel. Beyond its simple function of holding a ladle, it has the power to act as a poetic device that gently vibrates the air in the tea room.

Modest yet profound. Serene yet dynamic.
It can be said to be the embodiment of the "beauty of utility" that is the ideal of the tea ceremony .

Through this lid rest, the user will encounter a new landscape and feel a momentary sense of the universe in the palm of their hand.