Mizusashi, water pot for the tea ceremony, Shigaraki, Japan, Edo period.

This rare early 19th-century water jug embodies the understated beauty of wabi-sabi.
Its ceramic body, first turned and then slightly deformed, presents an asymmetrical silhouette that eludes all geometric perfection. The dark Shigaraki clay, laden with impurities left visible, offers a rough and mineral texture, as if marked by the passage of time.
A fine milky glaze with greenish reflections, born from the natural ashes during wood firing, contrasts with the dullness of the bare earth and underlines the accidental, the unexpected, which the tradition of tea celebrates.

The black lacquered wooden lid, fitted with an irregular diamond-shaped opening, introduces a smooth and shiny note that dialogues with the austere surface of the ceramic.

On one side, a kintsugi restoration, enhanced with gold, reveals the importance given to the piece: far from hiding the crack, it makes it a sign of esteem and continuity.

This mizusashi, both rustic and refined, reflects the spirit of the tea ceremony where imperfection becomes a source of emotion and contemplation.

Height without lid: 17 cm. 18.5 x 20.5