Bizen sake cup

This is a new Bizen sake cup by Anjin Abe, an artist who possesses profound insight into and a refined aesthetic sense for antique pottery, and who creates one-of-a-kind works through his unique research and firing techniques. This is a Bizen-style sake cup, a form he has not produced for some time. The natural black seeping from the clay, the rich shiso-red, and the deep chocolate color are masterfully integrated, forming an "Abe World" that approaches the quality of antique Bizen ware. The thick, drizzled sesame glaze, when observed closely, reveals a scattering and accumulation of fine sesame particles; these "flying" sesame spots create a dynamic landscape that prevents the thick glaze from appearing monotonous. The unique form, based on antique ceramics, gives the piece a dignified presence, making it both easy to use and visually captivating. Signed wooden box (four-way tenon joint, double box)
Diameter 6.4cm × Diameter 5.9cm × Height 5.9cm Anjin Abe was originally a Western-style painter. He collected pottery as a hobby, but finding contemporary Bizen ware unsatisfying, he began pottery in 1972 to create works that would meet his own standards. He frequently creates water jars, flower vases, flattened jars, bowls, sake bottles, and sake cups. All are wheel-thrown and finished with a spatula. He bases his pottery on Momoyama-period antique Bizen and is highly particular about his firing process. He also engages in diverse expressive 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.