Miura Ken'ya (Edo, 1821 - 1889)
Two Tea Cups (Cha-wan), 1821-1889
Glazed ceramic, 7 cm (2 3/4 in.) diameter
These glazed ceramic cups are part of a Japanese tea set. The cups are identical in size, shape, and type of glaze. Each cup sits on a round thin brown base that is smaller in diameter than the cup itself. The cups have straight sides, a wide opening, and no handles. The cups are colored white and speckled with brown. One has a simple daisy pattern. The petals are outlined in blue with yellow centers. Brown splotches appear between the flowers. The second cup has a more abstract pattern that resembles branching underwater plants in blue and brown.
Chinese Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.