5th Raku - Sonyu (1664-1716) Antique kuro-raku tea bowl #4259

- width: approx. 11.7cm (4 39⁄64in)

- height: approx. 8.5cm (3 11⁄32in)

- weight: 494g (w/ box 725g)

- condition: small damaged (hair line cracks)

Sonyu was the son of Sanemon, who ran a draper’s shop Kariganeya, and was adopted by Ichinyu at the age of 2. He eventually married Ichinyu’s daughter (Ozu). His original name was Heishiro, and he was later renamed Sokichi. Ogata Korin and Ogata Kenzan were his cousins, and his great-grandmother was Honami Koetsu’s sister. Ichigen was his brother-in-law who was 2 years older, and Sonyu took over as the head of the family at age 28, retired at age 45, and passed away at age 53. Between 1688 and 1695, he wrote “Sonyu Monjo,” which contained 2 sets of notes on the Raku family and 1 family tree of the Raku family, with his father Ichinyu. This is the oldest written document on the lineage of the Raku family. Sonyu succeeds Ichinyu as the head of the family around 1691, but 100 years had already passed since the passing of Chojiro.

Naturally, it was becoming difficult to recall facts from the past, and there must have been a need to organize the family tree when assuming the name of Kichizaemon. In addition, there may also have been a need to write these documents because Sonyu’s brother-in-law Ichigen left the Raku family in 1688 and returned to his mother’s home in Tamamizu, Ide to create Tamamizu ware. During the Genroku period, which Sonyu lived through, the Rinpa school, which is represented by Korin and Kenzan and features elegant decorations and designs, was favored, but as his father Ichinyu did, Sonyu devoted himself to Chojiro tea bowls, which did not have decorations. This may be related to Japanese tea ceremony trends at the time returning to Rikyu’s idea of wabi-cha in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Rikyu’s death. In contrast to Donyu’s modern shapes, Sonyu’s black tea bowls are much more reserved, as they do not contain decorative colors that stand out and are formed through a small base with sides that have been wrapped thickly with matte black Kase glaze and deep bases by the sides. However, what is important when considering Sonyu’s creative process is that he is reconstructing Chojiro’s essence from his own perspective, rather than imitating Chojiro’s tea bowls. To be specific, the “Kase glaze,” which is a black glaze that resembles the a steel kettle that has lost its luster, is wonderful because it is a glaze that has evolved into Sonyu’s own by capturing the austerely refined expression of Chojiro’s black matte through Sonyu’s consciousness. When Sonyu was 50 years old, he created a series of 200 black Raku tea bowls to commemorate reaching this age. This series, which is called “Kishi Chawan” based on that year’s sexagenary cycle, is one of his most memorable works. “Kimo” and “Umegoromo” are other examples of black Raku tea bowls. In terms of the red Raku tea bowls, many have a fine crackle and a slightly white serene appearance. There is a wide range, as some were melted well in the kiln and underwent changes to their color and shape during firing. The representative red Raku tea bowls include “Fukujuso” and “Fuku no Kami.”