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Source Description
This teapot is of a variety used by advanced <em>sencha</em> practitioners. Called a <em>hōhin</em>, the pot is designed to be held directly by the fingers, with the body touching the upper part of the palm. This shape allows the host to manipulate the pot with a single hand and demonstrate dexterity. Direct contact between the ceramic body and the hand allows the host to closely gauge the temperature of the water within. There are differing grades of <em>sencha</em>, and for the finest one, <em>gyokuro</em>, the water temperature must be carefully regulated to achieve the proper flavor. This vessel is therefore efficacious for preparing this high-quality tea. The <em>hōhin</em> is also extremely portable, so it is well suited for impromptu gatherings. <br><br> According to its box, this teapot is an example of <em>taihakuji</em>. “Great-white porcelain” was an important early invention Yohei III devised in 1972. It involved the combination of a distinctive translucent, creamy glaze over an ivory-colored clay body.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
520181
label
Hand-held Teapot
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
520181
contentType
object
title
Hand-held Teapot
description
This teapot is of a variety used by advanced <em>sencha</em> practitioners. Called a <em>hōhin</em>, the pot is designed to be held directly by the fingers, with the body touching the upper part of the palm. This shape allows the host to manipulate the pot with a single hand and demonstrate dexterity. Direct contact between the ceramic body and the hand allows the host to closely gauge the temperature of the water within. There are differing grades of <em>sencha</em>, and for the finest one, <em>gyokuro</em>, the water temperature must be carefully regulated to achieve the proper flavor. This vessel is therefore efficacious for preparing this high-quality tea. The <em>hōhin</em> is also extremely portable, so it is well suited for impromptu gatherings. <br><br> According to its box, this teapot is an example of <em>taihakuji</em>. “Great-white porcelain” was an important early invention Yohei III devised in 1972. It involved the combination of a distinctive translucent, creamy glaze over an ivory-colored clay body.
date
1893–1914
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
creators
299428
genreSpecific
Ceramic
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
width with spout: 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.)
cul
Japan, Meiji period (1868–1912)
accession
2022.174.a
Source extras
tec
Porcelain with molded and carved design and cream glaze
tombstone
Hand-held Teapot, 1893–1914. Seifū Yohei III (Japanese, 1851–1914). Porcelain with molded and carved design and cream glaze; width with spout: 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of James and Christine Heusinger, 2022.174.a
collection
Japanese Art
didYouKnow
This pot’s restrained design includes on the lid’s handle a yin-yang motif, symbolizing the ideal balance between the forces of the universe.
citations
citation
Maezaki, Shinya and Sinéad Vilbar. <em>Colors of Kyoto: The Seifū Yohei Ceramic Studio</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2023.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 30, p. 105
creditline
Gift of James and Christine Heusinger
updatedAt
2026-05-29 09:07:33.043000
sourceId
520181
dept
Japanese Art
coll
Japanese Art
med
Porcelain with molded and carved design and cream glaze
creatorTags
male
Asian (from 1900 to present)
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
873c87ce84c34239