Large Jar
Unknown Artist
1400s
Medium
stoneware with natural ash glaze (Shigaraki ware)
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.438,"width":0.381}}
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift
Accession Number
2020.191
About this artwork
The orange color of this jar comes from iron in the clay. Natural ash glaze settled on the vessel during firing. Originally intended for grain storage, rustic containers like this one were also prized by tea enthusiasts, who appreciated the uncalculated beauty of the glaze and the asymmetry of these humble objects. They used them to store tea leaves.