Tea Scoop (Chagō) in the Shape of a Cicada
Hayakawa Shōkosai I Japanese
This bamboo scoop was used to transfer the appropriate amount of sencha tea from a larger jar to the small ceramic teapot. The work is signed by Hayakawa Shōkosai I and, as noted in the inscription, was executed when the artist was seventy-six. Whereas most tea scoops have a simple, half-cylinder shape, Shōkosai playfully converted this one into a small “sculpture” representing a cicada, associated with immortality and rebirth.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.