Teapot

1596

Chinese, (fl. 1620-40)

Tea preparation methods changed in the Ming dynasty: instead of whisking powdered tea with hot water in a tea bowl, boiling water was added to tea leaves to steep in teapots. Yixing wares were known for their distinctive color and ability to enhance aromas. The Chinese literati favored them in the sophisticated activity of tea-drinking. They came in a rich variety of forms—this pot evokes a melon shape.

Yixing ware; red-brown stoneware

5 7/8 in. (14.92 cm)

Overall h.: 2 5/8 in.

Diam.: 4 in.

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Brink

61.114

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Pure Amusements: Wealth, Leisure, and Culture in Late Imperial China, Dec. 24, 2016 - May 15, 2022.

Published References"Selected Works." Seattle, WA: Seattle Art Museum, 1991, p. 168

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