Bizen Yohen Sake Cup

This is a new *yohen* (kiln-transmuted) sake cup by Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, who continues to lead the Bizen ware world with an inexhaustible creative spirit. *Yohen* sake cups fired in an *anagama* (tunnel kiln) are extremely rare, and this is a valuable piece, with only a few produced in a single firing. The *nuke* (the unglazed or lighter area of the clay) is magnificent, marked by distinct *kumadori* (shading), and the *nuke* area—a hallmark of *yohen*—even shows shades of vermilion. The fluctuations caused by the *anagama* firing have deposited gold hues across the clay texture, giving it a presence that sets it apart from the *yohen* of a climbing kiln. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 6.6cm x Diameter 6.5cm x Height 6.1cm Jun Isezaki was born the second son of Yozan Isezaki, a master of fine ceramic crafts. He began learning pottery at a young age and embarked on a professional career after graduating from the Special Fine Arts Course at Okayama University in 1959. His body of work is vast, ranging from traditional vases, plates, and tea ceramics to ceramic wall installations and sculptural objects. He places great importance on both the forming and firing processes. His signature style is imbued with a modern sensibility, drawing out the unique characteristics of his materials and kilns (anagama, climbing kilns, and electric kilns). He is also recognized as a leading relief artist, having unveiled numerous works. He became a regular member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1966, and from 1978, he served as a lecturer in the Special Fine Arts Course at Okayama University for nine years. In 1998, he and his brother, Mitsuru Isezaki, were both designated as Holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture, and in that same year, he became the Secretary General of the Chugoku Branch of the Japan Kōgei Association. In July 2004, he was designated as a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government.
Awards: Numerous awards including the Kaneshige Toyo Prize, the Okayama Prefectural Cultural Encouragement Award, the Sanyo Shimbun Prize, and the Excellence Award at the Chanoyu Modeling Exhibition / Juror for Prefectural Exhibitions