片桐石州の茶（根津美術館） The Way of Tea in Katagiri Sekishū Style (Nezu Museum)

戦国時代の武将で、徳川家と豊臣家の大阪城をめぐる戦いで登場する片桐且元と、この片桐石州の関係が、よくわからなかった。

この展覧会で、石州（貞昌）は且元の弟の子であったことを確認することができた。

片桐石州は、古田織部、小堀遠州に続いて、4代将軍家綱の前で点前を行い、その茶人としての地位を確立し、石州はその後の武家茶の”スタンダート”となった。

平戸藩主の松浦鎮信、松江藩主の松平不昧、彦根藩主の井伊直弼など、茶人として知られる有名な藩主たちが、皆、石州の茶を学んでいたことを知り、驚いた。

石州にちなんだ、茶入、茶杓、掛け軸などの様々な品々が展示されていたが、なぜか茶器が一つも展示されていなかった。

他の美術館からの展示もあり、ゆかりの茶器を展示することはできたであろうが、何故、展示しなかったのだろうか？

展示されていた品々よりも、展示されていなかった石州の茶器の方が、気になってしまった展示会だった。

I was not sure about the relationship between Katagiri Katsumoto, a warlord in the Sengoku period who appeared in the battle for Osaka Castle between the Tokugawa and Toyotomi clans, and Katagiri Sekishu.

At this exhibition, I was able to confirm that Sekishu (Sadamasa) was the son of Katsumoto's younger brother.

Following in the footsteps of Furuta Oribe and Kobori Enshu, Katagiri Sekishu performed tea in front of the fourth shogun, Ietsuna, establishing his status as a tea master, and Sekishu became the "standard" for samurai tea thereafter.

I was surprised to learn that famous feudal lords known as tea masters, such as Hirado feudal lord Matsuura Chinshin, Matsue feudal lord Matsudaira Fumai, and Hikone feudal lord Ii Naosuke, all studied Sekishu tea.

Various items related to Sekishu, such as tea caddies, tea scoops, and hanging scrolls, were on display, but for some reason, not a single tea utensil was on display.

There were also exhibits from other museums, so it would have been possible to display tea utensils related to Sekishu, but why were they not displayed?

This was an exhibition where I found myself more interested in the Sekishu tea utensils that were not on display than in the things that were on display.