A beautiful textured black bowl decorated with impressed golden pine boughs by Raku Chonyu enclosed in an old wooden box. Impre3ssed into the foot is the artists well documented seal. It is 12 cm (5 inches) diameter, 8 cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Raku Chōnyū (1714–1770) was the 7th-generation head of the Raku family, a lineage of potters in Kyoto renowned for their contributions to tea ceremony ceramics. Born as the eldest son of Sōnyū (6th-generation Raku master), Chōnyū inherited the family tradition and became the head of the Raku workshop in 1748. Chōnyū is remembered for his innovation and refinement of the Raku style, which emphasized simplicity, natural beauty, and wabi-sabi aesthetics. His works, primarily tea bowls (chawan), were characterized by bold yet subtle designs, and he demonstrated exceptional skill in using red and black glazes, which are hallmarks of the Raku tradition. Chōnyū continued the strong relationship between the Raku family and the Urasenke school of tea, creating tea wares that complemented the aesthetics and philosophy of the tea ceremony. His contributions further solidified the Raku family's reputation as masters of tea ceramics and set a standard for subsequent generations. After his death in 1770, the family tradition continued with his successor, Tannyū, the 8th-generation Raku master.
