Hello everyone, how are you all doing?
Here in the Bizen region of Okayama Prefecture, the typhoon is finally passing through.
It still maintains a strong force, so I urge those in the surrounding areas to please take great care.
Now, today I would like to introduce a rare Shigaraki-ware sake cup by the master of tea ceramics, Kaneshige Sozan, who is the pride of Bizen ware.
According to his eldest son, Makoto Kaneshige, this piece was fired using clay that Sozan obtained through the introduction of the late 5th generation Ueda Naokata, a heavyweight in the Shigaraki-ware world with whom Sozan was friends.
It was fired in a climbing kiln at Maruyama when Sozan was around 60 years old, and it is said to have been placed in an area inside the kiln that reached extremely high temperatures—temperatures considered unsuitable for Bizen clay.
The deep, rich scorch marks, possible only because of the highly heat-resistant Shigaraki clay, are truly captivating.
Since the firing temperature for the field clay typically used for Bizen ware is around 1200 degrees Celsius, this piece was likely fired in a spot with even higher temperatures.
It possesses the rich kiln-alteration effects characteristic of Shigaraki-ware's high-temperature firing, with black scorch marks across the entire work that look as if sumi ink had been sprayed onto it.
Mixed within this are the feldspar granules, a hallmark of Shigaraki clay, as well as the yellow "sesame" glaze effects also seen in Bizen ware.
It has the lustrous sheen typical of high-temperature firing, looking as if it were wet even when dry.
The powerful, caldera-like protrusion of the clay is magnificent.
And, naturally, it is worth noting the exquisite foot trimming that only Sozan, whose name echoed as a master of tea ceramics including Bizen ware, could achieve.
The body itself is crafted to be quite thick and substantial to bring out the appeal of the Shigaraki clay, with that profound weightiness anchored at the base by a powerful, deeply gouged foot trimming that pulls the entire piece together.
It was fired upright on four small mounds of refractory clay known as "dosenbo," which allows the viewer to see the powerful texture of the clay inside the foot, much like exposed clay on glazed pieces.
The coarse clay quality, combined with the slow and powerful spatula work that Sozan excelled at, reveals the feldspar granules in the clay as it was carved away, resulting in a foot that resembles a caldera formed by rising lava.
The way the almost naive, simple construction of the body converges into the explosive rise of the foot is like a high-quality film that starts with a brilliant introduction and gradually heats up as the story is woven toward its conclusion.
This is likely because Sozan did not treat clay preparation, wheel work, and foot trimming as three separate tasks, but rather approached them as a single, continuous work like a single path from beginning to end.
Knowing the characteristics and latent power of the clay, he prepared it to bring out those qualities and dedicated himself entirely to his work, aiming for the whole piece to be in harmony.
In a modern society where convenience sometimes leaves everything else behind, such heartfelt, delightful craftsmanship is truly worthy of the title "Master" that Sozan held.
It feels as if it is teaching us, "Do what you can, with all your might."
(Kaneshige Sozan / Shigaraki Sake Cup, identified by Makoto)
size: diameter 6.7cm × diameter 6.6cm × height 5.5cm price: Sold
Please inquire below for detailed images or other information about this work.
Tel 0869-67-2210 Fax 0869-67-2220
Email to Kawaguchi Tourakuen (Click to open email window)