Bizen ware cup with polychrome painting and dragon-shaped handles

This is a brand-new colored Bizen sake cup with dragon-shaped handles, created by Anjin Abe, an artist who possesses profound insight into and an aesthetic sense for antique ceramics, creating one-of-a-kind works through his unique research and firing techniques. Unlike his previous colored works, this piece features an entirely new design; rather than coloring the exterior, a large illustration of flowers and plants is applied to the interior of the cup. With a focus on green and blue rather than red, the floral motif captivates the eye with its vibrant hues. The gold, melted and applied to the surface, harmonizes strangely well with the Bizen clay despite its striking presence, a testament to the startlingly sharp color sense of Mr. Abe, who is also a painter. Different from his past colored sake cups, this lovely floral vessel will captivate the viewer in an instant. Signed wooden box to be provided at a later date (please allow some time for shipping).
Diameter 12.6cm (including handles) × Diameter 7.2cm × Height 3.2cm Anjin Abe was formerly a Western-style painter. He collected ceramics as a hobby, but finding contemporary Bizen ware unsatisfying, he began pottery in 1972 to create pieces that he found personally convincing. He frequently creates water jars, flower vases, flattened jars, bowls, sake bottles, and sake cups, all wheel-thrown and finished with a spatula. His work is based on the aesthetic of Momoyama-period Bizen ware, with a rigorous focus on firing techniques. He is also engaged in diverse creative activities, presenting mixed-media works that combine various materials and techniques, such as ceramics, lacquer, oil painting, and bronze. He holds solo exhibitions energetically both in Japan and abroad, including in Tokyo, Osaka, New York, and Paris.