Platinum-glazed Kagutsuchi Sake Bottle "Ra"

This is "Ra," the latest platinum-glazed Kagutsuchi sake bottle by Toru Ichikawa, who made a brilliant debut after studying under Ryuichi Kakurezaki. It is an exceptionally creative work that embodies Ichikawa's signature style of giving form to an endless stream of ideas through clay, the ultimate material. The "Ra" series is a further evolution of the intense, boiling glaze texture achieved through the crackled effects of the Kagutsuchi series, now combined with simmering gold and deep, clear indigo. Shifting the title from "Kagutsuchi," the Japanese god of fire, to "Ra," the Egyptian sun god, the artist has created an even more vivid and provocative series. As if in counterpoint to the magma-like, boiling Kagutsuchi gold, this piece features bold, flowing indigo glaze, with the interplay of gold and blue reminiscent of the golden death mask of an ancient Egyptian king. True to the title "Ra," the piece evokes Egyptian blue—the oldest pigment in human history—and masterfully reproduces the deep, rich shade of lapis lazuli, which was considered the most sacred color in ancient Egypt. The fine-grained gold glaze of the Kagutsuchi-Ki finish is dazzlingly beautiful, with intricate details such as specks of platinum hidden within the granules. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included.
Rim 3.4cm x Body diameter 9.3cm x Body diameter 8.3cm x Height 14.7cm, Capacity 180cc Toru Ichikawa was born in Tokyo. He began his apprenticeship under Ryuichi Kakurezaki in June 2011 and established his own studio in Tamano, Okayama Prefecture, in January 2015.