Ao-Oribe Chawan

This Ao-Oribe chawan (matcha bowl) features a classic, subtly distorted shape with a characteristically Oribe everted lip. Its light beige clay body has a transparent glaze, accented by iron underpainting of abstract grass and geometric patterns, with splashes of the distinctive copper green Oribe glaze that shifts towards verdigris as it pools and drips

This chawan was made by Mino potter Katō Tatsutō (加藤辰陶).

Oribe-yaki (織部焼) is a type of Japanese pottery known for its free flowing glazes and asymmetrical, hand-formed shapes. Dating in the late 16th century, Oribe ware takes its name from legendary tea master Furuta Oribe (古田 織部) who is believed to have played a large part in its development. Oribe wares are decorated with abstract designs and splashes of free-flowing vibrant green or deep black glaze. With these distorted shapes and novel decorations, Oribe-yaki exudes a charm that matches Furuta Oribe’s philosophy of hyouge (へうげ) or playfulness. One of the most popular styles of Oribe ware is Ao-Oribe or Green Oribe, which is decorated with geometric patterns painted with an iron glaze and then partially covered in a vibrant green copper-sulfate glaze which contrasts against the light background.