Set of Five Soba Cups (Soba Choko) with Swirl Patterns

Five white ceramic cups with swirling patterns. The cups are arranged in a staggered line, with one in front and two on either side behind it. The cups have a wide mouth and a narrow base. The swirling patterns are in a darker shade of gray than the cups. The pattern on each cup consists of large, curved lines and smaller spiral shapes. The background is a solid gray color, with shadows cast by the cups. The cups are likely soba cups, used for serving Japanese noodles.

Artwork details

Date:: late 18th–early 19th century
Medium:: Porcelain with cobalt blue under transparent glaze (Hizen ware, Arita type)
Culture:: Japan
Dimensions:: 600 × 420 px
Museum record:: View original