Bizen sake cup

This is a new Bizen ware sake cup by Kosuke Kaneshige, the leader of the Kaneshige school and son of the legendary reviver of Bizen ware, Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. The refined form, identifiable as a Kosuke Kaneshige work at a single glance, is paired with the meltingly rich scenery of *kase-yohen* (matte kiln transformation), which never fails to captivate. This *kase-yohen* technique, devised by Toyo Kaneshige and achieved between the kiln's firebox and firing chamber, possesses a magnificent aesthetic that explains why it has captivated so many fans. The endless range of shades drawn out solely by earth and fire, along with the unpretentious, gentle, and delicate scenery that only earth and fire can produce, speaks more eloquently of the true essence of Bizen ware than any number of words could. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included
Diameter 6.7cm x Diameter 6.7cm x Height 6.3cm 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 work in 1975, and after serving as a lecturer at Tokai University, he returned to his hometown in 1977. He built his own climbing kiln in 1982. He creates objects, tea utensils, flower vases, tableware, and sake vessels. In 1991, he created the ceramic wall "Light and Wind" for the Yasuda Fire & Marine Insurance Building in Okayama. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1994. In 1997, he exhibited at the Bizen Ware Exhibition in Paris. He holds solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Osaka, and elsewhere. In 2012, he was designated a Preserver of Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture.