{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1376839"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1376839/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JV3207/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JV3207/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JV3207","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV3209","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV3212","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV3206","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1376839/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1376839","accessionNumber":"FE.1-2017","objectType":"Teapot","titles":[{"title":"Ingen Teapot 隱元壺","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Gao Zhenyu made this teapot especially for the V&A collection. It is a replica of a teapot that once belonged to the Chinese monk Ingen Ryūki 隱元隆琦 who travelled to Japan in 1654. Ingen founded the Ōbaku school of Zen Buddhism and is credited with introducing the practice of infusing green tea leaves to Japan. Ingen’s teapot is now kept in the temple Manpuku-ji in Kyoto. It is a key example of early <i>zisha</i> (purple clay) tea wares, which were produced in Yixing, Jiangsu province. Unglazed stoneware <i>zisha</i> teapots are prized for their elegant designs and ability to keep the warmth and flavour of tea.\r\n\r\nSeeing Ingen’s teapot while he was a student in Japan caused Gao to reflect upon the possibilities of <i>zisha </i>and its historical significance. Ingen’s teapot, re-created by Gao using the same basic material and techniques, is much larger than later examples of <i>zisha</i> wares. The vessel is formed through repeated patting and smoothing of the clay into shape. With no additional ornamentation, the potter’s skill is fully on display. The size of the piece stretches the technical limits of <i>zisha</i> wares. \r\n\r\nGao comes from a family of important Yixing potters. His mother Zhou Guizhen is a National Master in Arts and Crafts. He studied with the master potter Gu Jingzhou (1915-1996) and completed his Masters in Ceramics at Musashino University in Tokyo. He is unusual among <i>zisha</i> potters in that he is equally skilled in working with wheel-thrown porcelain as he is with the hand-modelling of <i>zisha</i>. He also makes more experimental, studio pottery pieces. He is currently a Researcher at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, and moves between his studios in Beijing and Yixing, which he shares with his wife Xu Xu. \r\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Teapot and cover, made of unglazed stoneware, globular shape, cover flush against teapot, potter's mark under the cover and handle, potter's inscription and mark on base.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Gao, Zhenyu","id":"AUTH342532"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"Gao Zhenyu was born into a traditional <i>zisha</i>-making family. His father is renowned artist Gao Haigeng, and his mother is Zhou Guizhen. Influenced by his family, he learned traditional <i>zisha</i> techniques under master Gu Jingzhou, one of the most well-recognized potters of the 20th century. In the early 1990s, he graduated from Musashino Art University in Tokyo. As of now, he has successfully held over 20 exhibitions for his ceramic arts in Japan, China, and Europe."}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"stoneware","id":"x30197"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hand-built","id":"x30324"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Unglazed brown stoneware, made of zisha clay sourced from Mount Huanglong, Dingshu, Yixing; hand-built. ","categories":[{"text":"Drinking","id":"THES48965"},{"text":"Stoneware","id":"THES48890"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2017JV3207","2017JV3209","2017JV3212","2017JV3206"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"146","id":"THES49092"},"free":"","case":"CA3","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"146","id":"THES49092"},"free":"","case":"CA3","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"teapots","id":"AAT43022"}],[{"text":"Cover","id":"x47856"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Beijing","id":"x32780"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2017","earliest":"2017-01-01","latest":"2017-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the artist","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"25","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"14.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"丙申冬月為英國維多利亞阿爾伯特博物館之收藏特製。畫溪陶人記","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"In the winter months of the year bingshen (2016/7) made especially for the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Recorded by the Potter of Huaxi.","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed on base"},{"content":"高震宇印","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"Seal of Gao Zhenyu","transliteration":"Gao Zhenyu yin","type":"","note":"Seal mark on base"},{"content":"高","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"Gao","type":"","note":"Under handle"}],"objectHistory":"Made especially for the V&A in 2017","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Yixing ware. Teapot with lid, honoring Ingen Ryūki's historical masterpiece. Made by Gao Zhenyu in his Beijing studio, China, 2017.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"<i>zisha </i>clay; slab building","productionType":{"text":"small batch","id":"THES252237"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["FE.1:1-2017","FE.1:2-2017"],"accessionNumberNum":"1","accessionNumberPrefix":"FE","accessionYear":2017,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-21","recordCreationDate":"2017-01-13","availableToBook":false}}