Mid Century Japanese Ceramic Porcelain Lidded Pot Ikkanjin Imari Tea Ceremony Mizusashi

Details

Description

One of the most important components of the Japanese tea ceremony, water jars hold fresh water for the making of … Read more One of the most important components of the Japanese tea ceremony, water jars hold fresh water for the making of matcha green tea. This water jar, or mizusashi, porcelain from Kyoto, with a lid is beautifully decorated with hand painted patterns in indigo blue —a subtle but striking illustration.

Even more unusual is the "Ikkanjin doll", which is firmly attached to the side of the water pot.
The magnificent patterns on the entire surface of the water pot are all classic Japanese patterns that are considered to be good luck: floral birds (kacho 花鳥), blue sea waves (seigaiha 青海波), and plum blossom in a hexagon (kikkou-ume 亀甲梅).

Ikkanjin (一閑人) - a small lucky dwarf
"Ikkanjin" refers to a design in which a small China-style doll is attached to the edge or lid of the tableware, and it was introduced from China and mainly used for tea utensils in Japan.
The word means "leisured person" or "free-spirited person", someone who has a lot of free time, and it is said that this is him looking into the well.

It is a happy person who can roam freely as he likes, without being tied to the world... Nowadays, there are not only "human" style, but also owls, rabbits or other animals.
Hand painted. Multicolor. Blue White. Indigo
Approximately 7 x 7 x 5 inch
Signed on underside
Made in Japan

IKKANJIN:Ikkanjin is the name of a popular motif commonly seen in Japanese ceramics. It depicts a man hanging on to the side of the ceramic item, as if looking over the rim into a well. It s a symbol of good luck. See less