Blue porcelain tea bowl Suwa Sozan

Width: 12.7cm Height: 7.0cm

I. Work summary

The "Nerikomi Celadon Dawn Tea Bowl" is a matcha bowl created using the "nerikomi" technique, in which white and red porcelain are inserted into a clay with a base of celadon and turned on a potter's wheel in one go. The deep ultramarine darkness, with a faint pink hue, shifts towards the dawn clouds - in order to seal the air of dawn into the surface of the bowl, Suwa Sozan IV designed the celadon layer to be as thick as possible, and then layered thin layers of white and red porcelain on top to create a soft gradation. The indigo that lingers on the quiet night air and the pale pink of the dawn light that begins to paint the distant sky blend into the jade-colored celadon glaze, and the boundary between night and morning breathes gently in the palm of your hand.

---

II. Shape and form

Curved rim

The rim is slightly curved outward, making it easy to use the tea whisk and smooth on the lips. The faint blue-and-white line running along the rim suggests the deep afterglow of the morning sun, and the jadeite color of the glaze pool enhances the pale pink.

Gentle body expansion and step cutting

The body is modestly carved in two stages, three-dimensionally expressing the layers of clouds floating in the dawn sky. The carved ridges slightly shift the kneaded layers, creating a rhythm reminiscent of the flow of air.

Shallow spreading prospects and high ground

The inside is shallow, and the kneaded pattern gently converges towards the bottom. When matcha is poured, the green liquid surface is reminiscent of the first day of the year rising into the dawn sky. The base is carved out low, and the shape spreads out gently outwards, making it comfortable to hold in the palm of your hand and lightweight.

---

III. The technique of kneading and the glaze tones - the depth of the layers that embrace the dawn sky

Layered structure of porcelain clay <br data-start="741" data-end="744">Indigo blue porcelain is at the bottom, with celadon, white porcelain and red porcelain layered in thin strips on top of that. This is then rolled out into a plate and rolled into a cylinder, which is then shaped on a potter's wheel as a core of clay. As it rotates, the layers form horizontal stripes, and the color tones that change from night to morning appear naturally.

A veil of transparent celadon glaze <br data-start="858" data-end="861">After shaping, the entire piece is covered in a highly transparent celadon glaze and then reduced-fired at around 1265°C. The glaze layer acts as a glassy membrane that softly envelops the internal layered pattern and creates a faint, misty blur when exposed to light. The celadon layer suggests the silence of night, the red layer the rose hue of dawn, the white layer the mist of daybreak, and the celadon layer gives the whole piece clarity.

The feel of the glaze surface <br data-start="1015" data-end="1018">The glaze surface is smooth and smooth, with a moist feel that clings to your fingertips. Along with the visual gradation, the tranquility of the texture soothes the mind through the palm of your hand.

---

Ⅳ． Functional beauty and arrangement at tea ceremonies

Harmony with Matcha <br data-start="1407" data-end="1410">The vivid green of the matcha emerges in the layered pattern, creating a visual effect as if the “breath of dawn” is residing inside the bowl.

Lighting Effects <br data-start="1477" data-end="1480">When illuminated by the warm light of lanterns or candles, the crimson layer glows softly, while the blue layer deepens the pre-dawn silence. The mysterious scenery is particularly striking in the evening seating.

---

V. Literary background and technical significance

Scenes of dawn

The color scheme recalls the passage "Purple clouds at dawn" that follows "Akebono" in "The Pillow Book." The gradation from indigo to crimson is overlaid with white mist, transferring the scene from classical literature to the vessel.

The development of Nerikomi Celadon

Based on the monochromatic celadon mastered by the first Suwa Sozan , the fourth generation introduced color and rhythm through multi-layering. The Akatsuki tea bowl is considered a milestone in modern celadon, combining tranquility with subtle changes in color tone.

The challenge of blue-and-white ceramics

Since celadon uses cobalt pigments, the color can easily become cloudy if the balance with the celadon glaze is not correct. In this work, the celadon layer is made as thick as possible, but the timing of switching between the reducing flame and the oxidizing flame is adjusted in seconds to achieve a deep blue color without losing transparency.

---

Ⅵ. Artist profile and creative approach

The 4th Suwa Sozan (born in Kyoto in 1970) was trained by the 3rd Suwa Sozan and the 12th Nakamura Sotetsu, a lacquer artist , and took over the name in 2002. Based on his research into celadon, he uses a variety of techniques such as Hotarude, Tobiseiji, and Nerikomi Celadon, and upholds the philosophy that "a piece should have a story and be completed in harmony with the user's heart." This tea bowl is filled with the desire to deliver the breath of dawn to the moment of tea ceremony, entrusting the "quiet hope floating between night and morning" to the Nerikomi layer.

---

VII. Conclusion

The "Nerikomi Celadon Dawn Tea Bowl" is a masterpiece that embraces the deep indigo silence with the pale pink of dawn light, wrapped in a jade-colored celadon glaze. When matcha is poured into it, the green light dyes the dawn sky, bringing a literary atmosphere and seasonal changes to the tea ceremony. This work, which crystallizes the outstanding technique and poetic sensibility of the 4th generation Suwa Sozan , envelops the venue with dignity and serenity rather than luxury, and will bring a gentle hope and a sign of new life to the hearts of those who see it.