Ibe Yohen Vase-style Mizusashi

This is an earlier work of an Ibe-yōhen (kiln-transmutation) water jar by Suehiro Koyama, who was born to the renowned master Issō Koyama I and was also mentored by Sozan Kaneshige. It comes with a biographical sketch from around 1996 and is housed in a high-quality paulownia wood box, an exquisite style that suggests this was a piece in which Suehiro took great pride. True to the style of an artist who traveled with Sozan in search of clay that could rival the Momoyama-period Bizen ware, the clay body features a deep, vibrant red hue that radiates from the core, offering a texture that seems to melt before the eyes. The piece itself possesses a magnificent landscape and can be enjoyed as a decorative item even with the included lacquered lid placed on top. (Please note that while there are no signs of use, it is a slightly older work.) Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 16.3cm × Diameter 16.2cm × Height 17.8cm (including lacquered lid) Suehiro Koyama was born in Imbe as the third son of the master craftsman Issō Koyama I, who was renowned for his skill in figurative works. After graduating from Bizen High School, he trained for over four years at the Tōshōen kiln before building his own kiln to become independent in 1971. He received guidance from Sozan Kaneshige, from whom he learned aesthetic sensibility and a sense of balance. In 1973, he was selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. He also won seven awards at the Okayama Prefectural Exhibition, including the Sanyo Shimbun Award, the Prefectural Governor's Award, and the Prefectural Exhibition Award, and was appointed as a juror in 1984. He was selected for the Issuikai Exhibition six times since 1979 and has also been awarded and selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art exhibition.