Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) / mid- to late 1600s
Tea Storage Jar
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Tea Storage Jar as ceramic (Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) · mid- to late 1600s).
This jar may be considered an example of the aesthetic known as kireisabi , or refined rusticity.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this ceramic as Stoneware with white glaze (Shigaraki style) and credits Nonomura Ninsei (Japanese, active 1640s–90s).
The museum's collection notes: In this tea storage jar, Nonomura Ninsei reinterpreted a Shigaraki stoneware—made to hold agricultural products and known for its warm orange color, asymmetrical round forms, and irregular natural ash glazes—to produce a more refined piece that would appeal to tea masters seeking a touch of rusticity. In Japanese tea culture, hanging scroll paintings or calligraphy are placed in the tokonoma , or viewing alcove, for participants to admire and discuss along with the utensils used in the gathering. The scrolls are typically paired with vessels containing seasonal floral arrangements.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtTea Storage JarOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.