Kutani Ware Iro-e Pine Forest Chawan by Mitsui Eiichi - Third Generation Tamekichi

Experience authentic Japanese tea culture with this Kutani Ware Matcha Bowl. This Iro-e Enamel Chawan serves as a Mitsui Eiichi Pottery and Tamekichi Lineage Ceramic, featuring Pine Motif Design and Crackle Glaze artistry—a must-have for any Art Collector seeking Ishikawa Prefecture Art and Japanese Tea Ceremony ware.

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🔹 [ BASIC DETAILS ]

• Artist: Mitsui Eiichi (三ッ井詠一), 3rd Generation Tamekichi (三代為吉)
• Technique: Iro-e (色絵) overglaze enamel on white crackle glaze
• Era: Contemporary (Heisei period)
• Origin: Kutani, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
• Dimensions: Diameter approx. 12 cm (4.7"), Height approx. 7.6 cm (3.0")
• Box: Signed tomobako with inscription "色絵 松林 茶碗" (共箱). Minor stain on box bottom.
• Condition: Excellent — no chips or cracks on the bowl itself

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🔹 [ CULTURAL & ARTISTIC INSIGHT ]

Kutani ware (九谷焼), born in 17th-century Ishikawa Prefecture, is renowned for its bold iro-e (overglaze enamel) palette. This bowl exemplifies the tradition's vivid chromatic language: teal-green pine needles against a white crackle-glazed ground, rendered with deliberate brushwork.

The pine (matsu/松) is a motif of endurance and auspicious longevity, appearing frequently in Japanese tea ceramics as a visual invocation of continuity. Mitsui Eiichi, working within the lineage name Tamekichi, maintains the Kutani school's commitment to chromatic intensity while applying it to the quieter forms of tea ceremony.

*"A pine that does not shed—color as statement, not decoration."*

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🔹 [ DEEP-DIVE COMMENTARY ]

**The Kutani Legacy**: Kutani ware has been produced since the mid-17th century, famous for its "five colors" (gosai)—green, yellow, purple, navy, and red. The tradition went through revival periods and evolved through generations, with each era bringing new interpretations of the bold chromatic vocabulary.

**Technical Achievement**: The pine branches are executed in brown and aubergine enamels, while the foliage is rendered in a striking teal-green that dominates the visual field. This chromatic boldness is characteristic of Kutani ware, where color is declarative. Each brushstroke is visible, revealing the artist's hand without apology. The white crackle glaze provides a neutral field for the enamel painting.

**Collector Significance**: Mitsui Eiichi works under the generational name Tamekichi—third in line. In Japanese craft traditions, numbered-generation names preserve technical knowledge while allowing individual interpretation. The tomobako bears the inscription 色絵 松林 茶碗, confirming the bowl's identity and provenance.

**Pine Motif (Shōrin)**: Pine trees endure winter without losing their needles, making them symbols of resilience and constancy. In tea ceremony, the pine often appears as a reference to the natural world's steadfastness—a counterpoint to the transient moment of gathering. The forest motif (shōrin/松林) wrapping around the bowl creates a continuous landscape.

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🔹 [ 日本語解説 ]

【基本情報】
• 作家：三ッ井詠一（三代為吉）
• 技法：色絵・上絵付
• 時代：現代（平成）
• 産地：石川県九谷
• 寸法：口径約12cm、高さ約7.6cm
• 付属：共箱（箱底にシミあり）
• 状態：良好（碗本体にヒビ・カケなし）

【解説】
三代為吉こと三ッ井詠一による九谷焼の色絵松林茶碗です。白い貫入釉の地に、青緑色の松葉を大胆に描いた意匠が特徴です。

松は不老長寿の象徴として茶道具に頻出するモチーフであり、本作はその伝統的主題を九谷焼特有の鮮やかな色彩で表現しています。三代にわたる為吉の名は、技術の継承と個人の解釈を両立させる、日本工芸の伝統です。

状態は良好で、碗本体にヒビやカケはありません。共箱の底にシミがございますが、箱全体の機能には影響ありません。

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

*A pine that does not shed—color as statement, not decoration.*