Teacup from Teacups with Floral Band Motif

1893–1914

Seifū Yohei III 三代清風与平

(Japanese, 1851–1914)

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Culture

Japan, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Medium

One from a set of five cups; porcelain with incised decoration

Measurements

Overall: 4.5 x 8.5 cm (1 3/4 x 3 3/8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of James and Christine Heusinger 2022.173.1

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

The delicate cups in this set are thinly potted, so they have a highly desirable translucency.

Description

The five sencha teacups in this set are decorated with incised flowers and dots between a double band at the top and a single band at the bottom. They are in Yohei III’s creamy taihakuji body and glaze. In their motifs, they are quite similar to an incense burner by Yohei III (see CMA 2022.180), but the flowers are even more simple in design, with no open circle at the center.

A label affixed to the side of the box refers to them as “sencha cups in emulation of Korean white [ware].” The reference to Korean ware indicates that even though Yohei was more directly inspired by Qing-dynasty wares from the Dehua kilns in Fujian Province in developing his porcelain clay and glaze for works such as these, the general understanding of the continental models still placed them, at least in terms of color, among pieces broadly associated in Japan with Korean white wares. The delicate cups are thinly potted, so they have a highly desirable translucency.