Kuroshuten

This is a black sake cup by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and who breathes new life into the Bizen ware world through his exceptional sense and masterful sculpting skills. The combination of a surface randomly scraped with a spatula and a beautiful, lustrous black finish makes it look as if it were carved from black ore with a chisel. The shoulder has caught a generous amount of *goma* (ash glaze), creating multiple flowing *goma* patterns that seem to respond to the random line textures. The interior also features a sparkling, beautiful *goma* landscape, with every element coming together perfectly. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 7.7cm x Diameter 7.5cm x Height 6.3cm Koichiro Isezaki was born the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious Bizen ware lineage, with his grandfather being Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki and his uncle being Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki; Koichiro himself aspired to be a potter from an early age. After graduating from the Sculpture Department of Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He studied pottery for approximately two years under New York-based ceramic artist Jeff Shapiro, greatly broadening his perspective on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under his father alongside his father's apprentices. In 2002, he submitted his work to the Tanabe Museum of Art Tea Ceremony Exhibition for the first time and was selected.