Bizen sake cup

This is a Bizen sake cup by Living National Treasure Yu Fujiwara, who expanded his horizons beyond Japan to share the appeal of Bizen ware with the world. True to his motto of "simple, clear, and bold," this work is a straight-forward piece with no unnecessary flourishes. It has a comfortable weight and size that fits perfectly in the hand, reflecting Fujiwara-sensei’s philosophy that his pottery was only truly complete when used by someone. The clay, which shows a vibrant, fiery red reminiscent of kiln-transmutation, is accented by dark brown *hidasuki* (fire cord) markings, allowing for a rich appreciation of the clay's natural character even within this *hidasuki* work. Original signed box (shiho-zan) included
Diameter 7.2cm × Diameter 6.8cm × Height 5.3cm Yu Fujiwara (1932–2001, born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) was the eldest son of Living National Treasure Kei Fujiwara. Adopting the motto "simple, clear, and bold," he created many vases and bowls, earning him the nickname "Yu of the Vases." Influenced by Rosanjin Kitaoji, he was also highly skilled in creating tableware. Starting in 1972, he held a series of themed exhibitions, including the "100 Vases Exhibition," "Sake Bottle Exhibition," "100 Flowers Exhibition," and "100 Bowls Exhibition." He also produced numerous large-scale reliefs and objects. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1967. In 1980, he was designated a holder of an important intangible cultural property by Okayama Prefecture. In 1996, he and his father became the first parent-child pair to both be designated as holders of important intangible cultural properties (Living National Treasures) in the field of ceramics.
Major awards include: Kaneshige Toyo Prize, Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award and Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize, Academia Art and Culture Award, and Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon.