Hello everyone, how are you doing?
Today, I would like to introduce two sake bottles from Masao Akitani’s new work,
which are beautiful examples of "yohen" (kiln change) featuring vitreous white and blue glazes.
I have taken the liberty of calling this "glassy yohen," and it is truly a mysterious phenomenon.
Sometimes it forms in layers, other times it appears suddenly, defying the flow of the "goma" (ash glaze).
Let's explore the mystery through the detailed images below.
The black sake bottle on the left is covered with a blue, vitreous glaze on its right side.
The Bizen sake bottle on the right is covered with a milky, vitreous glaze on its lower left and upper right sides.
The vitreous glaze with a pale blue hue collides with, and moves against, the flow of the goma.
The rim and shoulder show cobalt blue, which will likely take on a deeper shade when wet with sake during use.
This is the back of the Bizen sake bottle.
On the side that faced the fire, there is a solitary pool of glass.
Like the "dragonfly eyes" of Shigaraki ware, the natural glaze has turned green.
This was formed after a white glassy yohen was created, followed by yellow goma flowing in, tracing faint lines.
What did you think of these two pieces of "glassy yohen"?
If you look closely, you can see they possess a vector that defies the flow of the fire and the goma.
Apparently, this is created by ash that accumulates on the kiln wall and spills down.
In Mr. Akitani’s anagama firing, where the influence of fire flowing in a fixed direction is strong, the emergence of yohen from a different angle adds movement and depth to the finish.
(Masao Akitani/Left: Black Sake Bottle, size: dia. 9.0cm x dia. 8.3cm x height 14.5cm, price: Sold)
(Masao Akitani/Right: Bizen Sake Bottle, size: dia. 9.4cm x dia. 9.3cm x height 15.4cm, price: Sold)
Please contact us below for detailed images of the pieces.
Tel 0869-67-2210 Fax 0869-67-2220
Email Kawaguchi Tourakuen (Click to open email client)