Chigusa: How a 14th-Century Chinese Jar Became Japan's Revered Tea Treasure
From October 11, 2014, to February 1, 2015, the Princeton University Art Museum hosts an exhibition centered around a 14th-century Chinese storage jar, which has been reimagined as Chigusa, a tea object in Japan. This exhibition delves into how art is shaped by selection and storytelling, offering new insights into chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony. Originating from southern China, the jar made its way to Japan in the 14th century and gained status as a meibutsu by the late 16th century. It features a letter from the renowned tea master Sen No Rikyu, despite him never having seen the jar. Highlights include a replica tatami room, a video of a tea master preparing the jar, and links to Western art, such as Alfred Bierstadt's Mt. Adams, Washington (1875).
Key facts
- Exhibition focused on Chigusa, a 14th-century Chinese storage jar transformed into a Japanese tea treasure
- Held at Princeton University Art Museum from October 11, 2014, to February 1, 2015
- Originally presented in a larger version at the Freer Sackler Gallery in Washington, DC
- Chigusa was named after a medieval poem, meaning "myriad things"
- By the late 16th century, it traveled with accessories and was coveted by military warlords
- A letter from tea master Sen No Rikyu was included with Chigusa's accessories, though he never saw it
- Exhibition included a video of a tea master ritually dressing the jar
- Displayed a scroll of Sen No Rikyu with views connecting to Western art traditions
Entities
Artists
- Marcel Duchamp
- Sen No Rikyu
- Alfred Bierstadt
Institutions
- Princeton University Art Museum
- Freer Sackler Gallery
Locations
- Princeton
- New Jersey
- United States
- Washington DC
- China
- Japan