This Madara Karatsu chawan (mottled tea bowl) is a masterful example of contemporary Karatsu stoneware by Munehiko Maruta. The bowl is defined by its striking madara glaze, a traditional mottled surface created through the use of rice straw ash. During firing, the glaze settles into a milky, opaque skin, pooling in nuanced shades of blue and white that contrast vividly with the dark, iron-rich clay body beneath. The interior mikomi glows softly, its natural variations drawing the eye inward during use.
The form reveals Maruta’s powerful throwing technique, marked by pronounced vertical chatter marks and a rugged, tactile surface that gives the bowl a substantial presence in the hands. Intended for use in the Japanese tea ceremony, the chawan embodies the principles of wabi-sabi, embracing rustic imperfection and the unpredictable transformations of the kiln. Both grounded in ancient ceramic tradition and unmistakably contemporary, this tea bowl asserts a quiet authority through its weight, texture, and authenticity.
