Bizen Sake Cup

This is a new Bizen hand-coiled sake cup by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and has brought a breath of fresh air to the world of Bizen ware with his exceptional sense and masterful sculpting ability. This sake cup is a new challenge from his recent kiln firing, created by slowly coiling up clay that has been rolled into slabs by hand. The soft curves produced by this hand-coiling technique and the finger marks remaining on the clay surface create a gentle yet dignified presence, much like Raku ware. A viscous scarlet hue serves as the base, complemented by scattered, energetic "tobi-goma" (splashed sesame) glaze, with a gentle firing that brings out the clay's character to match the soft form. Inside the cup, small sand grains emerge on the surface where the spatula scraped the clay, while the exterior features a bold, large "ishihaze" (exploded stone), serving as an exquisite accent that further draws out the rich, viscous texture of the clay. Signed wooden box to be provided later (please note that it will take some time before shipping)
Diameter 7.1cm × Diameter 6.6cm × Height 5.7cm Koichiro Isezaki was born the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious lineage in Bizen ware; his grandfather was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki, inspiring him to pursue ceramics from an early age. After graduating from the Sculpture Department of Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He trained for approximately two years under New York City-based ceramicist Jeff Shapiro, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under his father's guidance alongside other apprentices. In 2002, he submitted a piece to the Tanabe Museum of Art's Tea Ceremony Exhibition for the first time and was selected.