Minneapolis Institute of Art

Square bowl with pattern of hanging vines and fruit

Japan

Date

17th century

Medium

Mino ware, Shino type, stoneware with underglaze iron

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

During the sixteenth century, the potters of Mino, near Nagoya, developed a number of new ceramic styles for use in the tea ceremony. Shino ware was characterized by a thick, snowy surface which resulted from a feldspathic glaze fired for an extended period. Shino potters decorated their works by painting simple designs on the surface of the clay with iron-oxide slip prior to glazing. After firing, the resulting patterns shone softly through the milky glaze, producing a pleasingly subtle effect. Bowls such as this would have been used in the formal kaiseki meal as part of an extended tea ceremony. Japan, Asia

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