Minneapolis Institute of Art

Ash container with three birds

JapanLinkedCulture matchlcp-9cfc54f21d2c

Date

late 16th century

Medium

Karatsu ware, stoneware with underglaze iron

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Object ID

122402

A container like this one, called a hi’ire (literally, “fire container”), would have held hot ashes and been placed in a tobacco tray like the one displayed here. Guests to a tea gathering would use the hot ashes to light their pipes. Typical of wares from the Karatsu kilns, this mukōzuke is decorated with casual, rapidly painted designs in iron oxide brown. Japan, Asia

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