Fire bowl
ca. 1830
Medium
Clay, unglazed, with decorations in dark blue enamel (Awata ware)
Dimensions
H. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); Diam. 4 in. (10.2 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
Accession Number
36.120.528
Art Historical Context
This elegant fire bowl, crafted around 1830 by the Japanese artist Kinkozan, exemplifies the refined ceramic traditions of the Edo period. Measuring just over three and a half inches high, the small vessel was formed from unglazed clay and adorned with delicate decorations in dark blue enamel. As an example of Awata ware from the Kyoto region, it reflects the period’s emphasis on subtle beauty and everyday functionality in household objects. During the Edo era (1615–1868), Japanese potters like Kinkozan elevated utilitarian items into works of art, blending simplicity with refined surface det...