“Ayame” Raku tea cup - Sasaki Chojiro (1516 - 1592)
Like most ceramics, Ayame does not give more than a suggestion of its beauty in a photograph; it must be held and “seen with the hands”. Picture yourself sitting in a rustic tea room, holding the bowl and feeling its warmth with your left hand, turning it with your right hand, inhaling the aroma of the tea. A few quiet sips, a sense of serenity, and the appreciation of natural form and beauty all help to make this a rich artistic experience in which the raku tea bowl plays a large part.
