Art Creation Theory 12 "Red Raku chawan"

To look back at the history of Raku ware, it was created in the 16th century during the Momoyama period by Chōjirō, the first head of the Raku family. Its origin traces back to sancai ceramics that flourished during the Ming dynasty in China. In Momoyama-era Kyoto, vividly colored ceramics using sancai glazes were actively produced, and Chōjirō is considered one of the potters who inherited this technique. According to old records, there was a figure known as “Ameya,” believed to be Chōjirō's father, mentioned as a "Tang person." Although his works do not remain, he is thought to be the one who brought the technique of sancai ceramics from China to Japan.

The oldest extant work by Chōjirō is a two-color lion figure made in 1574, and the birth of the Raku tea bowl is believed to have occurred five years later. Raku ware embodies a simple monotone beauty created using black and red glazes. Although the tea bowls may appear rustic at first glance, they were made with skilled craftsmanship. This reflects the philosophy and aesthetic of “wabi-cha” that had a strong influence on Chōjirō, imparted by Sen no Rikyū.

Raku ware was created with a new technique and philosophy that set it apart from previous ceramics. Initially, during the time of Chōjirō and Sen no Rikyū, the term “Raku ware” was not used; it was called “Imayaki,” meaning “freshly made, new tea bowl,” and was considered innovative for that period. Since the first generation, Chōjirō, the Raku family has continued to produce Raku ware for 450 years, passing it down through 16 generations. Generally, the Raku ware made by these 16 generations of the Raku family is called “Honraku,” and its popularity led to the emergence of many auxiliary kilns.

One significant characteristic of Raku ware is a technique called “tezukune,” where the clay is hand-shaped without using a potter's wheel or mold. The form created by this technique embodies the actual shape of the maker’s fingers. The form is then carefully carved both inside and outside using a spatula to give the tea bowl its unique contour.

The firing method is also highly distinctive. Unlike conventional pottery, where works are placed in a kiln and gradually heated, Raku ware involves placing bisque-fired tea bowls into a preheated kiln and heating them rapidly. Black Raku, in particular, is fired at a high temperature of about 1200°C and subjected to rapid heating and cooling in a short time. This method prevents the clay from hardening completely, resulting in a soft texture and tactile quality. Only a few bowls can be fired at once using this method, making it seemingly inefficient, but it is actually ideal for achieving “one-of-a-kind” creations. The temperature and firing time in the kiln vary subtly each time, and as the oxygen level cannot be controlled, it is impossible to create the exact same piece twice.

The Raku family resided near the Jurakudai palace built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Rikyū had a residence at the Jurakudai as well, leading to the term “Juraku-yaki chawan” and later solidifying into the names “Raku ware” and “Raku tea bowl.” It is said that the Raku family was granted the character “Raku” by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In any case, the character “Raku” in “Raku ware” is derived from “Jurakudai,” symbolizing Hideyoshi’s influence embedded in its name.

 

Children between the ages of 8 and 12 were asked to paint Akaraku tea bowls.

Best of all, all of these pictures are just too good.

It is clear that painting is free.

The work, which is divided into four sections, is painted with the image of tea bowls in each season. Indeed, this color is between autumn and winter. How beautiful it is to see such a scene emerge from a single tea bowl.

 

When the French impressionist Renoir saw Raphael's Madonna of the Chair at the Pitti Gallery in Florence, he described it in a letter to art dealer Vollard as "what a magnificent mass of paint." This shows that he interpreted the painting not as a religious scene, but as a part of materiality. His description of religious subjects such as the Virgin Mary, seated on a chair and embracing the Christ Child, and St. John the Baptist as "a magnificent mass of paint" marked a change in the way materiality was perceived in 20th century painting.

A tea bowl is essentially nothing more than a lump of earth. This is not an exaggerated interpretation. Raku tea bowls seem to be a careful preparation for a return to earth, or to the hand.

 

My study was ultimately a failure. The glaze had peeled off and it had a lot of cracks. But a beautiful painting was born from the failed Raku tea bowl.

The study piece was an imitation of a Red Raku tea bowl (nothing) made by Chojiro. The original shape is a short cylinder with a low foot. The rim curves slightly inwards and is thin and rounded. It gets thicker towards the bottom, especially at the base. The entire piece is covered in a red Raku ware glaze fired at a low temperature, and while parts of the inside are a cloudy white colour, the glaze on the outside has mostly dried. The inside bottom has a cone-shaped depression, revealing the reddish-brown base. Four eye marks can be seen where the foot touches the ground.

• Caliber: 11.2 cm
• Height: 8.5 cm
• Height of the platform: 0.7 cm
• Base diameter: 5.0 cm

This tea bowl is a masterpiece of Akaraku ware, fired at low temperatures. It has almost the same style as the Kuroraku tea bowl "Daikoku," which has already been designated an Important Cultural Property. Judging from the characteristics of the base and glaze, it is believed to have been made in the latter part of the Tensho era, and is a representative Akaraku tea bowl by Chojiro. It is also considered an important work of the Momoyama period in the history of tea ceremony and ceramics. It was owned by Lord Matsudaira Fumai and has long been famous as a specialty of the revival.

 

When we think of Raku tea bowls, the first thing that comes to mind is the black Raku tea bowl.

I feel a sense of affinity and respect for this earthy, primitive color that's not quite red.