Tea Bowl / Mingei /
Warm Mingei Tea Bowl by Gen Murata
Gen Murata(1904-1988) was a mingei(folk craft) potter from Mashiko who was a contemporary of Hamada. In fact, Murata studied with Hamada for a few years starting in 1944. He established his own kiln in 1948. Murata's work rarely comes on the market here in Japan for his fans are passionate about his work. Here is a chawan in the mingei style, solid and sturdy. The box inscription reads, 'ShiroKuro Chawan, Gen.' It has a nice tan mustard colored glaze dripping over the black, tenmoku-like glaze. It feels like a small castle in the hands. The shape is very much like that of a Momoyama period Setoguro chawan with the foot being cut quite low. A very similar chawan appears in 'Contemporary Masterpiece Chawan' published by Kuroda Toen, Tokyo, published in 1972. Perfect condition, circa 1970. 8.9cm.tall and 12.4cm.across. There will most likely be a retrospective Murata exhibition at the Messe Mashiko Museum in the near future.
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