Description
Eto Uma Chawan, Kyo-yaki Tea Bowl (Matcha Chawan) with overglaze enamel painting of Shinme (Sacred Horse) and Umayazaru (Horse Guardian Monkey) on the front of the bow, along with red and white plum blossomsl. The monkey has the hat and wand of a Shinto priest, and the horse trappings are fit for a presentation to a Shinto shrine. The interior rim has images a painting of the Three Friends of Winter; Pine, Plum, and Bamboo, an auspicious symbol. This is a vintage bowl, in mint condition, by Kyoto potter Eizan Kato, probably for the last Year of the Horse, in 2022. H. 3"(7.875cm) X Dia. 4.5"(11.5cm), weight 181 grams. Comes with signed wooden box. The potter's kiln stamp appears on the bottom of the bowl outside of the foot ring.
Monkeys were seen as guardian protectors of horse in Japanese folklore. The term "umayazaru" literally means "stable monkey", as the ancient belief was that monkeys kept horses from disease and accidents. For this reason, monkeys were also referred to as "umayagami" (stable gods). The tradition of keeping monkeys in stables was also followed in China in ancient times. The horse represents "shinme", or sacred horses, that are presented to Shinto shrines as gifts, and ancient custom going back to the 8th Century. While this practice still exists today, it has also been partially replaced by horse statues, and later the wooden votive plaques (ema, "picture horses") more commonly seen at shrines today. Historically, evidence of images on ema of monkeys pulling horses has also been found.
Kato Eizan was born in February of 1975, and graduated from the Kyoto Prefectural Pottery Technical College in 1999. In the early 2000's, he studied under both Shouhou Ito II, and Higashiyama Shinzan. He has since become a prolific potter of overglaze enamel Kyo-yaki wares in his own right.