Bizen Beer Drinker

This is a Bizen beer vessel by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and who breathes new life into the world of Bizen ware with his extraordinary sense and skillful mastery of form. He has refined his previous beer vessel design, adding a stamped pattern to the base and narrowing the foot in a slightly deformed style. Instead of the previous straight, cylindrical silhouette, it now has a very subtle curve that pairs perfectly with the geometric aesthetic of the stamped design. The clay has a toasted, caramel-brown finish, and the *hidasuki* (fire-cord) markings typical of an anagama kiln have a sophisticated, apple-peel-like scarlet hue, creating a beautiful, clean, and appealing color for tableware. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 7.3cm × Diameter 7.2cm × Height 10.1cm Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen ware, with his grandfather being the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki and his uncle being the Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki; Koichiro himself aspired to become a potter from an early age. After graduating from the Department of Sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He learned ceramics for about two years under the tutelage of New York City-based potter Jeff Shapiro, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under his father alongside his father's other disciples. In 2002, he exhibited for the first time at the Tanabe Museum of Art’s Tea Ceremony Exhibition, where his work was selected for the first time.