Vintage Kiyomizu-yaki porcelain kyūsu teapot by Sekitei Matsumoto

This kyūsu (Japanese teapot with side handle) in porcelain is designed for the precise infusion of teas, particularly with its integrated filter. The soft whiteness of the porcelain and the decoration of chrysanthemums in relief, some of which are in blue sometsuke, on a beautiful canework create a delicate and luminous presence, in the spirit of Japanese ceramics from Kyoto by Sekitei Matsumoto.

The ceramist
Matsumoto Sekitei refers to a lineage from Kyoto related to the Kiyomizu yaki tradition. The founder, Matsumoto Sekitei, born on January 1, 1900 in Ishikawa, established the Sekitei gama workshop, also called Heian Sekitei, in 1934, specializing in white porcelain for sencha (green tea) utensils, generally with floral reliefs and sometsuke (underglaze blue). The second generation, who made this teapot, extended this language with the same precision of forms and decorations, in the aesthetic specific to Kyoto ceramics.

The technique and the decor
Kiyomizu-yaki refers to the ceramic tradition of Kyoto, renowned for its highly precise forms and extensive decorative palette. For this teapot, the porcelain paste, fired at a high temperature, received a sometsuke (blue decoration) applied with cobalt on the shard, before the application of a transparent cover and a second firing which fixes the decoration under the glaze. The floral relief, obtained by modeling and application, plays with the light and reinforces the contrast between the whiteness of Japanese porcelain and the blue nuances. The whole reflects an elegant approach to Japanese ceramics from Kyoto.

Practical information
Place
Japan (Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture)

Dimensions
Length 18 cm - Width 11.5 cm - Height 11 cm - Capacity 500ml

Weight
373 g

Materials
Porcelain

Period
Vintage, Heisei era (1989 - 2019). In very good condition, has obviously never been used. Note some very small traces of dirt on the edges of the bottom of the teapot, barely visible.

Care instructions
After use, empty the water and let it air dry, avoid abrasive products, wipe with a soft cloth, no dishwasher, oven, microwave.