Fujisan Katatsuki
富士山肩衝
Rank
Chaire Type
Historical Period
Current Owner / Collection
Denrai
Chukomeibutsu 中興名物
Karamono katatsuki chaire 唐物肩衝茶入
Southern Song – Yuan Dynasty 南宋–元時代
Yuki Museum of Art 湯木美術館
Kobori Enshu 小堀遠州 – Abe Bungo no kami 阿部豊後守 – Fuyuki Kiheiji (Ueda Sogo) 冬木喜平次 (上田宗吾) – Matsudaira Fumai 松平不味 – Yuki Sadaichi 湯木貞一 –Yuki Museum of Art 湯木美術館
Origin of Name and Stories
The scenery of the glaze flowing over the body of the chaire exactly resembles that of Mt. Fuji. In recognition of this, Kobori Enshu gave the name. See poem in the hikiya section below.
Physical Description
The entire body of the chaire is without flaw. The neck (koshiki) is short while the eversion of the lip strongly turns back on itself. The shoulder is sharply created. Although somewhat diminutive, the lower torso shows great strength in its curve. The base glaze is extraordinarily glossy. These attributes prompted Kobori Enshu to include this chaire among those he elevated to meibutsu status. A dark toffee-colored glaze flows down to the lower reaches of the body, leaving some clay exposed. The hem of the glaze pools thickly, and a lapis blue sheen is visible here. The color of the clay body at the hem is shot through with red while lower down the clay color is grayish. The chaire is extremely light in the hand.
Height: 6.3 cm
Weight: 42 g
Mouth diameter: 3.2 cm
Body diameter: 5.4 cm
Base diameter: 2.6 cm
The foot exhibits a fine and crisp string cut pattern (itokiri). In addition a spatula has been used to narrowly bevel the base. The entire object is superbly crafted, a work of high quality with rich scenery.
Accompanying items
Lid
Shifuku
Ivory
Six (From left to right)
Kamakura kanto 鎌倉間道
Togen kinran 藤言金襴
Kanto oridome 間道織留
Hakugyoku donsu白極緞子
*Sokun donsu 宗薫緞子
*Konji futaezuru botan karakusa kinran 紺地二重蔓牡丹唐草紋金襴
*not pictured
Tray
Hikiya
Hikiyabukuro
Box inscriptions
Karamono kuronuri yohobon 唐物黒塗四方盆, karamono black lacquer square tray
Karamono shunuri yohobon 唐物朱塗四方盆, karamono cinnabar lacquer square tray
Karaki 唐木, Chinese wood
The lid is carved with the name 富士山, Fujisan and is in the written style of Kogetsu Sogan
江月宗玩 (Tsuda Sokyu’s son)
A poem is carved on the body: 壷中有天地、山改旧時容, 磑下霏々雪、吹飜富士峰, Kochu tenchi ari, yama aratamete kyuji no yo (sugata), gaika hihi no yuki, suihon fuji no mine, Heaven and earth within a jar, the mountain refreshes its old shape, below Mortar Summit, constant snow, blowing over Fuji’s peak
Moru woven textile
Three
White paulownia inner box: Fujisan 富士山 in Kobori Enshu’s hand
White paulownia outer box: Fujisan 富士山 in Matsudaira Fumai’s hand
White paulownia box: Koushin Soukei hand
Research and Image Sources
Chadogu no sekai series, volume 5
Chado bijutsu kansho jiten
