Stand for a tenmoku tea bowl

Lacquered stands were often imported from China together with temmoku tea bowls. These beautifully fashioned stands were appreciated as independent art objects, but they also served the practical function of supporting narrow-footed bowls. Temmoku bowls with stands were preferred in early tea gatherings which were held in palatial audience halls. The use of temmoku bowls and stands continued in later eras as means of expressing respect for people of noble birth. This lacquer stand was crafted in Japan in red lacquer (negoro) in imitation of Chinese examples.