Shallow Bowl

Shino, a collective term for pottery wares covered with a thick white feldspar glaze, was one of the most radiant developments in Japanese ceramics. First produced in the sixteenth century in the Mino area of Gifu prefecture, these simple but vibrant wares were quickly adapted for use in the tea ceremony. A variety of soft colors from gray to red results from coating the white clay body of Shino vessels with iron oxide before glazing. Although the side of this bowl is deeply cracked, tea connoisseurs admired its unusual pink color which was produced from a light coating of iron oxide.