Bizen ware small mortar

This is a small Bizen mortar by the prodigy Harada Shuroku, who was said to have a "terrifying future" after studying Old Bizen alongside the great Bizen benefactor, Matasaburo Katsura. The form, which is powerful yet possesses a certain delicacy characteristic of Shuroku, a master of the mortar form, is magnificent. The firing, which exudes a tasteful, weathered aesthetic even without being flashy, is truly expert work—a stunning finish fitting for an artist who knows Old Bizen inside and out. It is a perfectly sized piece that could be used as a sake server or as tableware.
*Please note that due to the use of coarse clay, there are some rough cracks on the inside.
Tomobako (signed wooden storage box, four-sided cleat style)
Diameter 15.4 cm x Diameter 13.2 cm x Height 7.4 cm

After graduating from Meiji University and working in a company, Harada Shuroku began creating pottery in 1969. He built an anagama (hole kiln) in 1971 and a climbing kiln the following year, dedicating himself fully to the craft. From 1975, under the guidance of Old Bizen researcher Matasaburo Katsura, he visited ancient kiln sites to study Old Bizen. In 1991, he built an anagama kiln on Amidayama in Ushimado. He creates jars, tea ceremony utensils, and leaf-shaped plates, using the coiling technique supplemented by the potter's wheel. He has actively held solo exhibitions in cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. In 1983, he held a joint exhibition with Kenji Funaki of Fushina ware at the National Museum of Victoria in Australia. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 2000. In 2002, his work was exhibited and acquired for the opening commemorative exhibition of the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu. This is a small Bizen mortar by the prodigy Harada Shuroku, who was said to have a "terrifying future" after studying Old Bizen alongside the great Bizen benefactor, Matasaburo Katsura. The form, which is powerful yet possesses a certain delicacy characteristic of Shuroku, a master of the mortar form, is magnificent. The firing, which exudes a tasteful, weathered aesthetic even without being flashy, is truly expert work—a stunning finish fitting for an artist who knows Old Bizen inside and out. It is a perfectly sized piece that could be used as a sake server or as tableware.
*Please note that due to the use of coarse clay, there are some rough cracks on the inside. Tomobako (signed wooden storage box, four-sided cleat style)
Diameter 15.4 cm x Diameter 13.2 cm x Height 7.4 cm After graduating from Meiji University and working in a company, Harada Shuroku began creating pottery in 1969. He built an anagama (hole kiln) in 1971 and a climbing kiln the following year, dedicating himself fully to the craft. From 1975, under the guidance of Old Bizen researcher Matasaburo Katsura, he visited ancient kiln sites to study Old Bizen. In 1991, he built an anagama kiln on Amidayama in Ushimado. He creates jars, tea ceremony utensils, and leaf-shaped plates, using the coiling technique supplemented by the potter's wheel. He has actively held solo exhibitions in cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. In 1983, he held a joint exhibition with Kenji Funaki of Fushina ware at the National Museum of Victoria in Australia. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 2000. In 2002, his work was exhibited and acquired for the opening commemorative exhibition of the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu.