Bizen Leaf-Shaped Dish

This is a Bizen ware leaf-shaped dish by the master craftsman Mitsuru Isezaki, a man who loved Bizen ware and contributed greatly to the region. The slightly bright yellow sesame glaze (kigoma) and the earthy texture characteristic of Mitsuru Isezaki perfectly suit the atmosphere of this leaf-shaped dish. The weathered texture of the ash-covered areas and the "nuke" (uncoated spots) are exquisite, and the understated, dried-leaf coloring will surely enhance the appearance of any food served on it. It is a slightly thick, solid, and sturdy piece, so it can be used freely and frequently without worrying about damage. (Please note that there are some areas where the sesame glaze has flaked off, as shown in the seventh photo.) Original signed wooden box (two-way cross bar)
Diameter 28.0cm x Diameter 23.8cm x Height 2.5cm Mitsuru Isezaki was born in 1934 as the eldest son of the holder of intangible cultural property, Yozan Isezaki. He learned pottery techniques from his father from a young age and majored in sculpture at the Okayama University Special Art Course. As an authentic tea ceramic artist, he pursued the aesthetics, clay quality, and firing methods of the Momoyama period. Depending on the piece, he used both traditional climbing kilns and medieval anagama kilns, strictly insisting on firing with split pine wood and never using electric or gas kilns. He became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1964 and received the Toyo Kaneshige Prize in 1974. In 1994, he received the Sanyo Shimbun Cultural Contribution Award, and in 1998, the 15th Tanabe Museum of Art Grand Prize. In March of that same year, he was certified as a holder of a Prefectural Important Intangible Cultural Property. He passed away in August 2011 at the age of 77.
Awards: Recipient of numerous awards, including the Toyo Kaneshige Prize, Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Art and Culture Contribution Award, and the Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Form Exhibition / Invited exhibitor at the Prefectural Exhibition