TEA BOWL, Katade, Joseon Dynasty（1392–1897CE）
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This piece is a Katade tea bowl from the late Joseon Dynasty. It features a slightly flared rim and a gently curving, plump form reminiscent of the shapes often seen in Goryeo tea bowls. The subtly irregular shape of the vessel fits comfortably in the hand, evoking the unpretentious craftsmanship of a seasoned potter. The foot is robustly carved, and the color of the iron-rich clay peeking through the foot's base creates a serene contrast with the soft, milky white glaze that envelops the entire bowl, resulting in a rustic yet powerful presence. The interior bears nine marks, a characteristic trace often found on late Joseon folk pottery, arising from the necessity of stacking vessels during firing in the kiln.
The term "Katade" refers to vessels made from clay or stoneware that have been fired to a hard finish, a designation given by Japanese tea practitioners to the white-glazed wares of the Joseon period. This aesthetic of unpretentious beauty, which does not flaunt technique, stands in stark contrast to the ornate Chinese tea bowls, yet resonates deeply with the spirit of wabi-sabi. Particularly in the realm of tea ceremony, these bowls were cherished as "Goryeo tea bowls." During that time, numerous commissioned pieces were brought over from the Japanese trading post in Busan. This bowl, however, possesses a pleasing demeanor as an ordinary utilitarian vessel, distinct from that lineage.
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The aesthetics of the period did not favor surface-level ornamentation or technical prowess but emphasized forms and expressions that quietly supported the inner life of the individual. Objects and furnishings were not merely tools of utility—they might be seen as a kind of dōjō, spaces for self-discipline and reflection. A humble jar placed in a scholar’s study, a plain desk, or an unadorned brush rest were not only objects to be observed but mirrors reflecting one’s posture and thoughts.
It is no coincidence that the crafts of the Joseon period possess a “quiet presence.” These works were created not to impress, but to accompany the human spirit—to breathe with it and to help bring it into balance.
Take white porcelain, for example. Subtle glaze flows, the tremble of clay, slight asymmetries in shape—these so-called “unintentional phenomena” were accepted and even cherished. They reflect a broad-minded sensibility that contrasts sharply with modern ideals of perfection and uniformity. This sensibility questions the boundaries between nature and artifice, beauty and imperfection, object and mind. One could even say it was not just a way of making but an expression of the spirit of the age.
If we were to describe Joseon-era beauty, it is less a “beauty of display” and more a “beauty of resonance.” Not the charm of an object itself, but the way it creates a moment for the viewer to reflect on how to live and how to be. For this reason, the object must not speak too loudly—it must carry emptiness, pauses, and silence within. This kind of thinking seems to run through the very heart of Joseon craftsmanship.
These values would eventually cross the sea and take root deeply in Japan. In the world of chanoyu (the Japanese Way of Tea), Joseon white porcelain and buncheong ware had already begun to be used by the late Momoyama period. Their modest and quiet character offered a contrast to the stately grandeur of Chinese imports. The aesthetic sensibility of “listening to what is unsaid” in tea culture resonated with the silence and imperfection held by Joseon vessels, nurturing a gaze that would eventually find form in the spirit of wabi-sabi.
In modern times, thinkers of the Mingei movement such as Yanagi Sōetsu and Kawai Kanjirō discovered in Joseon crafts “a power that purifies” and “a form of life as it ought to be.” In an age when traditional crafts were being forgotten, these objects were not viewed merely as antiques but as expressions of a way of being—welcomed with profound respect and empathy.
Even now, when I encounter a crafted object from the Joseon period, I find myself moved by its stillness. Within it dwells the spirit of a time that asked how we ought to live and what it means to be—and that quiet voice continues to speak to us, undiminished by time.
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Tax excluded. Import duties may apply. Shipping costs are calculated at checkout.
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