Akae Matcha Bowl by Kisho — Bold Red Overglaze Flower and Calligraphy Motif on White Ground

A chawan by Kisho in the akae tradition: white glaze ground with dynamic red overglaze brushwork — a sweeping floral-and-script composition that wraps the bowl's entire circumference. The red lines move with the confidence of a single breath, the brushwork neither tentative nor overwrought. An accessible chawan with genuine presence, in a paper box.

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▪ ITEM DETAILS
• Object: Chawan (matcha bowl)
• Style: Akae (赤絵 — red overglaze enamel)
• Potter: 喜祥 (Kisho)
• Diameter: approx. 12.5 cm / Height: approx. 6 cm
• Decoration: Red overglaze floral and script motif encircling the body; red band at rim and around foot
• Glaze: White glaze with fine craquelure
• Mark: Impressed seal 「喜祥」on foot ring
• Condition: No chips or cracks
• Packaging: Paper box

▪ CULTURAL CONTEXT
Akae — red overglaze enamel on white ceramic — entered Japan through trade with Chinese and Korean kilns during the Edo period, and was adapted into a distinctly Japanese vocabulary by Kyoto and Arita workshops. In the tea ceremony, akae bowls occupy a particular register: vivid without being ornate, calligraphic without being literary, approachable without sacrificing character. The brushwork on this bowl reads as both floral composition and abbreviated writing — a language that operates at the threshold between image and word, which is precisely where the tea ceremony has always situated itself.

▪ COLLECTOR'S NOTE
The craquelure on the white ground has developed naturally over time, creating a fine web that gives the surface additional visual texture without fragmenting it. The impressed 喜祥 seal on the foot ring is cleanly executed. The red band encircling the mouth and the secondary red accent above the foot ring create a compositional frame for the central floral brushwork — the whole piece is well-composed, with the spontaneity of individual brushstrokes contained within a deliberate structure. For daily practice or an entry point into Japanese ceramic tea culture, this bowl gives honestly.

▪ 日本語説明
喜祥造の赤絵茶碗。白釉の器面に赤絵具で大胆に花文と草書様の文様が描かれ、口縁と高台際に赤帯が巡る。全面に広がる貫入が白釉に奥行きを与え、赤絵の鮮やかさとの対比を作る。高台には「喜祥」の押印。明快で力強い筆致は、茶の湯の道具としての実用性と美意識を両立させる。紙箱入り、日常使いにも茶事にも対応できる一碗。

🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ]
• Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days
• Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking)
• Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials