Teapot with Ruyi Motifs

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

Porcelain with molded design and iron handles

Credit Line

Gift of James and Christine Heusinger 2022.176.a

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

The base of the pot has a “Seifu” seal.

Description

The simple, round form of this teapot is embellished with only a pair of nyoi staff-head motifs, one on each side. Two arched iron handles, parallel to each other, are hooked through holes in raised tabs at the front and back of the shoulders of the pot. The round lid is depressed so that an iron ring handle fastened with an iron clamp passing through the lid can lie flat inside the recessed area.

The box is not original to the piece and has an inscription dated to 1960. The person who wrote it clearly admired Yohei III and his efforts to produce works that resembled Chinese ceramics. The inscription describes Yohei’s journey to perfecting these copies but misidentified the Chinese kiln whose wares were the basis for this particular work.