An American potter friend, Doug Lawrie,a long-time resident of Japan, once told me that to make a chawan ( a teabowl for ceremonial tea ) was very difficult and that you might make one or two perfect ones in a lifetime. He is in part true, because to make one that meets the most rigorous assessments of a master is not all that common. It is easy to make chawan in a 'mannerist' manner, but to make them to be almost 'unobtrusive ' and for them not to express the personal ego of the maker is quite difficult.
This one is 13 cms in diam. It is stoneware with ash glaze.
c.2004