Bizen ware tea bowl

This is a Bizen tea bowl by the late master Ken Fujiwara, whose work possesses both bold grandeur and meticulous detail. It is a masterpiece that interprets the Ido tea bowl style in Bizen pottery, seamlessly blending a withered, refined aesthetic with brilliant ceramic technique. The bowl features a powerful design that includes the traditional bamboo-node foot characteristic of Ido bowls, with vigorous carving that pairs perfectly with the Bizen *hidasuki* (fire-cord) markings. The soft *hidasuki* patterns also appear inside the bowl, which will surely make the green of the matcha stand out beautifully. With signed paulownia wood box (four-way tenon joint)
Diameter 15.0cm × Diameter 14.6cm × Height 8.3cm Ken Fujiwara (1924–1977) began his pottery career in 1946 under his uncle, Kei Fujiwara, and also studied under Toyo Kaneshige and Sozan Kaneshige. He later learned tableware production techniques from Rosanjin Kitaoji in Kamakura, and established his own kiln in 1956. Thereafter, he was selected for numerous exhibitions consecutively. In 1970, he devised and built a large Bizen kiln using modern refractory bricks. In 1973, he was designated as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture and was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays. Though he was expected to be a leader for the next generation of Bizen pottery, he passed away at the young age of 53.