Bizen Sake Cup

This is a new Bizen sake cup by Kosuke Kaneshige, the leader of the Kaneshige family and son of the legendary Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige, who is credited with the great revival of Bizen ware. This rare piece features both "goma" (sesame glaze) and "hidasuki" (fire-cord) markings—a combination that can only be achieved within a very specific temperature range in the kiln, which is notoriously difficult to control. The goma-hidasuki, known for being extremely difficult to produce due to the narrow window of success, is so vividly colored that one can hardly fathom the technical challenge behind it, making it seem as if the master has performed a feat of virtuosity with effortless grace. When filled with sake, the hidasuki flares to life, creating a fantastical scene as if a bright red flame were flickering at the bottom of a lake. Signed wooden box to follow (please allow some time for shipping).
Diameter 6.9cm x Diameter 6.8cm x Height 5.3cm Kosuke Kaneshige is the third son of Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. He graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts with a degree in sculpture in 1968, and completed his graduate studies in sculpture at the same university in 1970. He began exhibiting his ceramic works in 1975, and after serving as a lecturer at Tokai University's School of Letters, he returned to his hometown in 1977. He built his own climbing kiln in 1982. He produces a wide range of works including sculptural objects, tea utensils, flower vases, tableware, and sake vessels. In 1991, he created the ceramic mural "Light and Wind" for the Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance building in Okayama. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1994 and exhibited at the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition in 1997. He holds solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Osaka, and other locations throughout Japan. In 2012, he was designated as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture.