Kuroshuten

This is a black 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 pottery with his exceptional sense and masterful sculptural skills. The design, featuring a body that flares out into an inverted triangle combined with a sharply defined shoulder, makes for an extremely modern-looking sake cup. It has been fired thoroughly in the kiln and oxidized, resulting in vibrant yellow sesame (goma) glaze and a smooth, lustrous black finish. The rim is well-coated in yellow sesame glaze, providing a very pleasant mouthfeel. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 7.5cm × Diameter 7.3cm × Height 7.8cm Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen pottery; his grandfather was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki. He aspired to become a ceramic artist from an early age. After graduating from the sculpture department of Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He spent two years apprenticing under New York-based ceramic artist Jeff Shapiro, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under his father alongside his father's other disciples. He first exhibited his work at the Tanabe Museum of Art's Tea Ceremony Exhibition in 2002, where he was selected for inclusion.