Bizen ware sake cup

This Bizen sake cup is by Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, who continues to lead the Bizen pottery world with an inexhaustible creative force. The piece was fired to the absolute limit, exposed to the searing winds rushing through the anagama kiln. The clay, which typically transitions between red and white, has shifted to a deep caramel hue, giving it the appearance of a black-fired piece even without the application of slip. While dark shades of black and yellow dominate the overall aesthetic, the white "sesame" (goma) glaze, formed by ash dripping from the kiln wall, provides a stunning accent in the interior. Original signed wooden box to be provided later (please allow some time for shipping).
Diameter 6.7cm x Diameter 6.6cm x Height 6.7cm Jun Isezaki was born the second son of Yozan Isezaki, a master known for his intricate ceramic figurines. He began learning pottery in his youth and embarked on a full-time career in the arts after graduating from the Okayama University Special Art Course in 1959. His body of work is wide-ranging, encompassing traditional items like vases, plates, and tea ceremony wares, as well as ceramic walls and abstract sculptures. In his creative process, he emphasizes both the shaping and the firing. He is known for a style overflowing with modern sensibilities that leverages the unique characteristics of his materials and various kilns (anagama, climbing, and electric). He is also recognized as a preeminent creator of relief works, having unveiled numerous pieces in this style. He became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1966 and served as a special art instructor at Okayama University for nine years starting in 1978. In 1998, he and his brother Mitsuru were both certified as Holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture, and in the same year, he began serving as the Secretary General of the Chugoku Branch of the Japan Kōgei Association. In July 2004, he was designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government. Awards and honors include the Kaneshige Toyo Award, the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award, the Sanyo Shimbun Award, and the Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Form Exhibition, among many others. He also serves as a judge for prefectural art exhibitions.