Bizen Hidasuki Sake Cup

This is a Bizen hidaski sake cup by Kei Fujiwara, an artist beloved by all for a warm style that radiated kindness and a bold, open-hearted spirit. This sake cup reflects the relaxed style of the artist’s later years. The red clay body, accented with additional red fire-cord (hidaski) markings, gives it an aesthetic similar to that of vermilion clay (shudei) ware. Its deeply formed, generous bowl possesses a presence that seems to cradle the sake—a fitting quality for a master known to be a heavy drinker himself. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 7.6cm × Diameter 7.5cm × Height 6.3cm Kei Fujiwara (1899–1983, born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) entered the world of Bizen ware at the suggestion of Atsuo Masamune, a scholar of Japanese literature residing in Honami, Bizen. After receiving initial instruction in wheel-throwing techniques from Umei Mimura, he went on to refine his craft under the tutelage of fellow Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige, from whom he learned firing techniques starting in 1941. Inspired by the simplicity and boldness found in the utilitarian ware of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, he produced jars and vases characterized by an open and clear style. The artistic education he absorbed in his youth profoundly influenced his work. In 1954, he became the second individual to be designated a Living National Treasure for Bizen ware, and in 1958, he became a director of the Japan Kōgei Association. In 1977, the Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum was established in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture.
Major awards and honors: Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award, Honorary Citizen of Bizen City, Honorary Resident of Okayama Prefecture; posthumously awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class.