Bizen Sake Cup

This is a slightly earlier Bizen guinomi (sake cup) by the brilliant and eccentric Juro Harada, a master who studied Old Bizen alongside the great Bizen benefactor Matasaburo Katsura, who famously described him as having "frightening potential." Every aspect of this piece, from the preparation of the clay to the firing, reflects the rigorous aesthetic standards unique to Harada. The scenery is magnificently divided between the front and back; the front features a lustrous, wet-looking, bluish-grey sangiri (partial firing) glaze, while the back showcases a stunning yellow sesame (goma) glaze where each individual grain stands out with the texture of a file. Furthermore, the front is accented with a highly unique heart-shaped "nuke" (a spot left unglazed or distinctively fired), serving as a refreshing touch within the otherwise traditional Old Bizen style. The interior, beyond its intense burnt-sesame coloring, is remarkable for a hue that seems to condense the very life force of the clay itself. (*Please note that this is an earlier work, though it shows little sign of use.) Signed wooden box (shiho-zan) with lid
Diameter 7.2cm × Diameter 7.2cm × Height 6.4cm After graduating from Meiji University and working in the corporate sector, Juro Harada began his pottery career in 1969. He built his first ana-gama kiln in 1971, followed by a nobori-gama kiln the next year, dedicating himself fully to the craft. Beginning in 1975, he studied Old Bizen under the guidance of Old Bizen researcher Matasaburo Katsura, visiting ancient kiln sites. In 1991, he built an ana-gama kiln at Amidayama in Ushimado. He produces jars, tea ceremony utensils, and leaf-shaped dishes, primarily using the coiling method, with some use of the potter's wheel. He has been active in holding solo exhibitions in cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. In 1983, he held a joint exhibition at the National Museum of Australia with Kenji Funaki of Fushina ware. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 2000. In 2002, his work was exhibited at and acquired by the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu, for its opening commemorative exhibition. In 2005, his work was acquired by the New Orleans Museum of Art.