Bizen tea bowl

This is a Bizen tea bowl by the master craftsman Mitsuru Isezaki, who loved Bizen ware and made immense contributions to the region. It features the slightly smaller, inward-tapering shape that Mitsuru often created during his lifetime. The size and bowl form give it a very gentle atmosphere, and its appearance, softly cradling the tea, resembles a flower beginning to bloom. By intentionally avoiding 'goma' (ash glaze) in the firing, the work embodies the spirit of wabi-cha; the weathered aesthetic born from the natural gradation of the Bizen clay and the minimal use of ash is truly masterful. The outer surface is decorated with a 'higaki' (lattice) pattern, applied with faint, sweeping spatula strokes. (Please note that due to the shape of the foot, there is a slight wobble; it is stable on a tatami mat.) Original signed wooden box (shiho-zan)
Diameter 12.9cm x Diameter 12.5cm x Height 6.7cm Mitsuru Isezaki was born in 1934 as the eldest son of the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki. He learned pottery techniques from his father from a young age and majored in sculpture at the Okayama University Special Art Course. As a master of authentic tea ceramics, he pursued Momoyama-style forms, clay textures, and firing techniques. He distinguished between using a climbing kiln and a medieval-style 'anagama' kiln depending on the work, and remained committed to firing with pine wood, never using electric or gas kilns. He became a regular member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1964 and received the Kaneshige Toyo Award in 1974. In 1994, he received the Sanyo Shimbun Cultural Merit Award, and in 1998, the 15th Tanabe Museum of Art Grand Prize. In March of that same year, he was certified as a Prefectural Important Intangible Cultural Property holder. He passed away in August 2011 at the age of 77.
Awards: Kaneshige Toyo Award, Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Art and Culture Merit Award, Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Form Exhibition, and many others / Invited exhibitor at Prefectural Exhibition