丁子風炉 平戸焼|Clove Boiler with Feathers
Unknown Artist
early 19th century
Medium
Porcelain with underglaze blue (Hirado ware)
Dimensions
H. 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm); Diam. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Charles Stewart Smith, 1893
Accession Number
93.3.2a–c
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Clove Boiler with Fe* (丁子風炉 平戸焼) is a fine example of Hirado ware a prized Japanese porcelain from the early th century during the Edo period (161–1868). Standing 10½ inches tall and 6¾ inches in diameter this portable brazier—known as a *furo*—was designed for the Japanese tea ceremony (*chanoyu*), where it gently heated water for matcha preparation. Its bulbous, clove-like form evokes natural elegance, while feather motifs in underglaze blue add a delicate, whimsical touch, reflecting the refined aesthetic of everyday rituals in urban Edo society. Hirado ware, produced on Hi...