Tea Strainer

Label

This small, intricately woven tea strainer speaks to tea-drinking culture in the Philippines. The strainer’s simple design suggests that it was likely made for practical use, rather than for aesthetic display. Notice the handle bar and the manufactured holes along the rim, which enhance the strainer’s efficiency. Tea has long been popular in Southeast Asia, and the object’s humble yet elegant design suggests the adoption of tea drinking among Filipino households, which developed further under the influence of European and Chinese merchants on the islands. This strainer provides a glimpse into the daily practices of the Philippines. Consider the importance of tea in your own cultural practices, and how such habits might have differed several centuries ago. 

Written by Kevin Lian, ‘25

From the 2023 exhibition Faith and Empire: The Legacy of Conversion and Commerce in the Early Modern World, curated by students of ARTH 20.04, "Faith and Empire: Art in the Early Modern World", taught by Elizabeth Rice Mattison, Andrew W. Mellon Associate Curator of Academic Programming

In traditional Filipino tea preparation, brewers use this tea strainer, constructed out of woven bamboo, to separate out the loose leaves and ginger bits in salabat, a traditional ginger tea. The strainer’s simple design and fine mesh pattern suggests its practical application in retaining the sought-after ingredients rather than offer an aesthetic display.

The handlebar and manufactured holes along the rim enhance its functionality, allowing a brewer to pour directly into the strainer. This simple yet elegant design provides a glimpse into the daily experiences of life in the Philippines while indicating the influence of European and Chinese tea culture on the island.

From the 2024 exhibition A Space for Dialogue 118, Coffee and Tea in Art: A Brew of Cultural Symbolism, Solace, and Introspection, curated by Jeffrey Liu '24, Class of 1954 Intern

Course History

Environmental Studies 44.01/Geography 44.01, Environment and Politics in Southeast Asia, Chris Sneddon, Winter 2023

Geography 44.01, Environmental Sciences 44.01, Environment and Politics of Southeast Asia, Christopher Sneddon, Winter 2024

Exhibition History

A Space for Dialogue 118, Coffee and Tea in Art: A Brew of Cultural Symbolism, Solace, and Introspection, Jeffrey Liu '24, Class of 1954 Intern, Alvin P. Gutman Gallery, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, May 11 - July 7, 2024

Faith and Empire: The Legacy of Conversion and Commerce in the Early Modern World, Class of 1967 Gallery, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, August 12-December 23, 2023.

Provenance

Barbara Bowen; given to present collection, 1942.

This record is part of an active database that includes information from historic documentation that may not have been recently reviewed. Information may be inaccurate or incomplete. We also acknowledge some language and imagery may be offensive, violent, or discriminatory. These records reflect the institution’s history or the views of artists or scholars, past and present. Our collections research is ongoing.

We welcome questions, feedback, and suggestions for improvement. Please contact us at: Hood.Collections@dartmouth.edu