Painted Bizen Sake Cup

This is a newly kiln-fired, painted Bizen sake cup by Anjin Abe, an artist who possesses profound insight into and an aesthetic sensibility for antique pottery, and who creates one-of-a-kind works through his unique research and firing methods. The bold coloring of blue and red, reminiscent of a red Mt. Fuji floating in a sea of clouds like a painting, is incredibly striking and captivating. This piece is a masterful fusion of authentic Bizen firing techniques that rival ancient Bizen ware and the artistic sensibilities cultivated through oil painting, resulting in a work that offers both the joy of use in the palm of your hand and the joy of viewing it as a painting. It is a painting that you can drink sake from, a cup that fulfills the dream of drinking sake from an ancient Bizen vessel.

View blog post about this sake cup Signed wooden box (shiho-san, double-layered box included)
Diameter 7.0cm x Diameter 6.5cm x Height 6.3cm Anjin Abe was originally a Western-style painter. While he collected pottery as a hobby, he felt a lack in contemporary Bizen ware and began pottery in 1972 to create pieces that satisfied him. He frequently creates mizusashi (water containers), flower vases, henko (flattened vases), bowls, tokkuri (sake bottles), and sake cups. All are wheel-thrown and finished with a spatula. He bases his pottery on the antique Bizen ware of the Momoyama period and is fastidious about his firing process. He also exhibits works that combine various materials and techniques such as ceramics, lacquer, oil painting, and bronze (mixed media), engaging in diverse expressive activities. He holds solo exhibitions energetically both in Japan and abroad, including in Tokyo, Osaka, New York, and Paris.