Tea ceremony.
Study #4
While the concrete origin of tea is disputed, the conscious movement of drinking tea for ceremony and pleasure, as opposed to medicinal purposes, is traced back to 8th century China.
Tea, 1919. Henri Matisse.
Tea ceremonies in Japan (The Way of Tea) are choreographed events that hold aesthetic and symbolic meaning in every detail. The direction utensils are placed, to the movement of the tea master’s hands, are full of thought and intention that lend to an experience meant to touch on all of the senses.
Yama-Chawan, cluster of mountain tea bowls, 13th century.
Tea was first brought to Britain in the early 17th century by the East India Trading Company, as a precious commodity to be indulged in by the elite and kept under lock and key (in what we have come to know as tea caddies). It wasn’t until prices dropped in the 18th century that it became a drink and activity for the masses.
Terroir is the combination of environmental factors (weather, elevation, animal activity) that contribute to a tea’s unique flavor. Once the leaves are grown and picked, the withering, tumbling, heating, length of growth and oxidization process all contribute further to developing the nuances of the finished product.
There are over 3,000 varieties brewed today. After water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world.
Tea Infuser and Strainer, 1924. Marianne Brandt.
In 1898 tea bags were originally made of silk and sent to potential clients as a way to sample tea strains. A patent was given for this new creation but it wasn’t until 1935 that tea bags were considered to be worth utilizing in full scale production for the general public.
Tea Field with Pluckers at Work, Ceylon, Sri Lanka.
Po cha is a traditional drink from the Himalayan region, where butter made from yak milk is added to black tea for a rich, salty flavor.
Mizuno Toshikata, 19th century.
Meret Oppenheim’s Object features a teacup, saucer and spoon wrapped in the fur of a Chinese gazelle. The piece exemplifies the Surrealist notion that mundane items presented in unexpected ways can challenge reason and urge you to connect with your subconscious. Fur combined with a teacup evokes such a surprising mix of associations: wild animals and nature against manners and civilization. With its pelt, the teacup becomes soft, rounded, and tactile; attractive to the touch, but not to the taste.
Object, 1936. Meret Oppenheim.