17th Century Joseon Dynasty Korean Ceramic Ido Tea Bowl Chawan

A ceramic stoneware chawan tea bowl made in Korea circa 16-17th century. The chawan is identified as Ko-ido (small ido) due to its size and form. Ido bowls were made since 15th century in Korea as everyday utensils for rice-eating and wine-drinking, known as maksabal (a bowl for everything). When they were taken to Japan, their rustic simplicity was discovered by the tea masters who were searching for a unique wabi-sabi aesthetics. Ido thus became elevated from peasant’s bowl to the desirable and sought after chawan for the tea ceremony in Japan.
The chawan on offer is considered as a ko-ido for its small diameter and a less pronounced foot. The surface has a coarse texture characterized by the use of a sandy clay. Most of the surface, except the very lower part toward the foot, is covered with a yellowish beige glaze known as Biwa-iro (loquat color). The rich glaze was further accentuated with contrasting white bands that nearly circumvent the entire interior and exterior of the rim. The exterior band even shows a few dripping that would no doubt please the exquisite taste of the tea masters. The unglazed foot ring base exposes a reddish granular clay. The exterior body shows Rokurome grooves (potters’ wheel marks), left by the potter’s fingers as they shaped the piece on the wheel. In the inner well of the bowl, there are some dark specks from firing and a small area that skipped the glaze (it doesn’t seem to be a loss but as made). There are fine crackles across the surface and old kintsugi repairs along the rim that shows wonderful color and patina.
The bowl comes with a modem tomobako box and a shifuku fabric pouch.
Provenance: Purportedly purchased from Momoyama Gallery in Luxemburg.