Tamba pottery, view 02., pots in a shop window

Tamba pottery, view 02., pots in a shop window

Arts-Ceramics; Arts-Aesthetics;

A group of pots in a shop window show the strong traditional form of Tamba jars. Traditionally made as storage jars, the thick rim allowed a cord to be tied securely around the neck of the jar, to hold a cloth in place to close the mouth of the jar. These bold, simple forms were the result of a direct vocabulary of form handed down through generations of potters over the centuries. The forms were often left totally unglazed and the decoration of the surface would come from the action of the fire and the depositing of ash on the surface, forming a natural glaze, as is the case on the second jar from the left in this photo. The two jars on the right probably had an ash glaze poured on them before they were placed in the kiln and the contrast of the runny dark green ash glaze against the dark iron red of the unglazed clay surfaces creates a dynamic pattern. The two pieces on the right have lugs ("loops" of clay) on their shoulders; originally such lugs were made to allow a lid to be

Editorial assistant: Sandy Augustin. Collection Librarian: Amy Bryant. Please send any questions, comments, or content corrections to Michael Thiedeman, Professor of Art, Earlham College, Richmond, IN 47374 USA. email address: thiedmi@earlham.edu

Thiedeman, Michael

Earlham College

Materials may be used for educational, non-commercial purposes only, in accordance with Fair Use policies. Acknowledgement to be given to the IDEAS Project and to the photographer. Photographer retains copyright.

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Still image

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Japan

Japan - Showa 1926 - 1989

Kinki (region), Kyoto Prefecture, Tamba (inhabited place)

1081500

911 h x 613 h, 96 ppi