Bizen Kōshin

This is a dragon figurine by the world-renowned and highly decorated Intangible Cultural Property holder, Zenji Urakami. The dragon, depicted sitting atop a cloud, is rendered with remarkable vibrancy. The design is reminiscent of a dragon mikoshi (portable shrine) carried during festivals, and the piece is made all the more intriguing by Urakami's signature powerful stylization. The clay has a refined, rustic finish. Please note that there is a firing crack on the neck. Signed wooden box (double-slat lid)
Diameter 32.1cm x Depth 11.3cm x Height 13.0cm Zenji Urakami (1914–2006) was born in Imbe and began his journey in ceramics under the tutelage of Shunko Nishimura. In 1935, he became a student of Seibo Kitamura, a member of the Japan Art Academy, to study sculpture. He also studied wood carving under Shin Naito and sketching under Saburo Okada and Sakujiro Okubo. He excelled in creating animal figurines, bronze statues, and ceramic wall murals that brim with life, grounded in realism. His notable works include the ceramic wall at Okayama Airport, the ceramic plaque of Grand Master Oyama at the Kurashiki City Art Museum, the bronze bust of Toyo Kaneshige at the Bizen Pottery Museum, and the ceramic statue of Kojima Takanori in Tsuyama City. In 1973, his figurine of a bull won the Gold Medal at the Le Salon 300th Anniversary exhibition. That same year, he was designated a holder of an Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property.
He passed away in March 2006.
Awards: Recipient of numerous honors, including the Okayama Prefectural Cultural Award, Miki Memorial Award, Chagall Honorary Prize (France), Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon, Order of the Sacred Treasure, 5th Class, and the Grand Prix at the Salon de Paris exhibition. Served as a judge for the prefectural exhibition.