Tea Scoop (Chashaku)
Sen no Rikyū Japanese
Not on view
Sen no Rikyū was one of the most influential figures in the development of the tea ceremony, or chanoyu. He served as tea master to two of the most powerful warlords of the sixteenth century. His emphasis on modest, rustic simplicity for the utensils as well as the surroundings resulted in a new, simpler style of tea ceremony known as wabi-cha that became standard beginning in the Momoyama period (1573–1615). Rikyū developed and created many Japanese-style tea-ceremony objects, including tea scoops and flower containers, and he also produced designs for teabowls. He cut bamboo for the utensils himself; this tea scoop was carved from a single narrow piece of bamboo. The raised, rounded end was used to transfer powdered green tea from the tea caddy to the teabowl.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
