Bumpy, Lumpy, andSpeciaL Black Raku T ea Bowl fromJapan denverartmuSeum Lesson Plan Early Childhood (Ages 3–5) Black Raku Tea Bowl3rd–7th generation of Raku family, Japan, 1800s Bumpy, Lumpy, andSpeciaL Black Raku T ea BowlfromJapan OverviewChildren will learn how things that are bumpy, lumpy, and not necessarily “perfect” are often just as special as things that seem smooth and “perfect.” They will have an opportunity to make a tea bowl using the idea that imperfection is still important and beautiful ( wabi sabi). Age Group Early childhood (ages 3–5) CMCS Visual Arts Standard 1: Observe and Learn to Comprehend Standard 2: Envision and Critique to Reect Length of Lesson One 30-minute lesson Rationale Even at this early age, children can tend to value what is “awless” and “perfect” over what may be imperfect but expressive and meaningful. Introducing them to the concept of wabi sabihelps expand their sense of what is beautiful and what may be considered art, opening opportunities for their own expression as they get older. Objectives Students will be able to: • use at least three words to describe what they see and feel when handling objects you provide; • use at least three words to describe the Black Raku Tea Bowl; • say the words wabi sabi; and • explain what wabi sabimeans using their own words/examples.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Children will learn how things that are bumpy, lumpy, and not necessarily “perfect” are often just
as special as things that seem smooth and “perfect.” They will have an opportunity to make a
tea bowl using the idea that imperfection is still important and beautiful (wabi sabi ).
Age Group
Early childhood (ages 3–5)
CMCS
Visual Arts
Standard 1: Observe and Learn to Comprehend
Standard 2: Envision and Critique to Reect
Length of Lesson
One 30-minute lesson
Rationale
Even at this early age, children can tend to value what is “awless” and “perfect” over what maybe imperfect but expressive and meaningful. Introducing them to the concept of wabi sabi helps
expand their sense of what is beautiful and what may be considered art, opening opportunities
for their own expression as they get older.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
• use at least three words to describe what they see and feel when handling objects you
provide;
• use at least three words to describe the Black Raku Tea Bowl ;
• say the words wabi sabi ; and
• explain what wabi sabi means using their own words/examples.
Until recently, the majority of raku [RAH-koo] ware was made by generations of the Raku
family in Japan. This black tea bowl was most likely made by a member of the Raku family
sometime during the 1800s, between the 3rd and 7th generations of the family. Raku wares are
different from other Japanese ceramics because potters form the pieces by hand rather than
on a potter’s wheel. Each bowl the raku potter makes shows signs of his ngers and hands.
It’s almost as though the artist was communicating to you through the clay. After he is nished
creating the shape of the bowl, the potter applies a glaze to the piece and res it in a kiln at
a low temperature. The potter who made this bowl chose a very plain glaze that is all black.
There are variations in the texture; some areas of the surface are slightly rough and pitted. The
craftsman must have wanted to leave out decoration and make a bowl that was modest rather
than showy; quiet rather than loud.
The making of raku ware was initiated by Chôjirô [CHO-jih-row] during Japan’s Momoyama
period (1573-1615). Chôjirô was asked by the tea master Sen Rikyû [sen REE-kyoo] to make
tea bowls for a tea ceremony. Chôjirô was presented with a seal bearing the Chinese character
for “raku.” The term raku derived from the word Jurakudai, the name of a palace built by the
leading warrior statesman of the time. “Raku” then became the name of the family that produced
the ceramics. This is the only example in history of a family name becoming synonymous with
the ceramics they produced. Raku is the most renowned of all tea ceremony ceramics, andthe Raku family was highly respected for their skillfully crafted tea bowls and table wares. Now,
many potters make raku ware.
What Inspired It?
The artist who made this bowl took into consideration how the bowl would be handled and
viewed during a tea ceremony. Because the bowl is very plain, perhaps the artist was inspired
by the idea of how attractive a bowl can be when it is very subtle. A bowl that is subtle has
less obvious qualities that are very hard to notice. However, if a guest examines the bowl very
carefully, he can see and feel the details. Maybe this artist wanted to challenge the people who
drank from the bowl to pay very careful attention to its simpler qualities. The other thing that
certainly inspired this artist was his knowledge of all the potters in the Raku family who hadcome before him. He was making a bowl in the same tradition as these earlier potters out of
respect for their skill and design style.
The tea bowl is the centerpiece of the Japanese tea ceremony. Traditionally, a tea bowl has no
handles and is made to be held in both hands. It is the most active of all tea utensils as it gets
passed around to all of the guests. Each guest drinks out of the bowl and examines its shape,
color, and texture before returning it to the host. Those who make tea bowls aim at making a
bowl that will engage the senses of vision and touch, and small and subtle variations are often
prized.
The ritual of serving tea involves a number of specic steps for the host and guests. It can last
anywhere from twenty minutes to ve hours and consists of two distinct stages, representedby the drinking of thick tea (about the consistency of white Elmer’s glue) and thin tea (about
the consistency and frothiness of hot chocolate). Both types of tea are prepared by whisking
green tea powder with water, but the powder used to make thin tea comes from plants that are
younger than those used for thick tea, and more water is used in the preparation of thin tea.
When preparing for the ceremony, the host places a little mountain of powdered green tea
inside a tea caddy or container. Once the ceremony begins, he removes the lid of the caddy
and scoops a small amount of tea powder into a tea bowl, whisking it with hot water to create a
bitter green tea. After the guests have nished their tea and the host has cleaned the utensils,
the guests will often examine each item, noticing its color, shape, size, glaze, and texture. The
utensils are handled with extreme care and reverence because they are often very valuable.
The host chooses which containers to use based on who is attending the ceremony, the level
of formality, the season, the time of day, and how each container will complement other utensils
used.
Information about the Japanese tea ceremony can be found at: