Colored Bizen Sake Cup

This is a Saishiki Bizen (polychrome Bizen) sake cup by Anjin Abe, an artist whose profound insight into ancient ceramics and refined aesthetic sense allow him to create one-of-a-kind works through his unique research and firing techniques. The balance of the color placement is superb, allowing the viewer to enjoy a palette of gold, red, blue, and white. Centered around a vibrant red Mount Fuji, the snow-capped peak is rendered in a smooth white, while the vivid blue, reminiscent of a lake surface or surging waves, adds a touch that keeps the viewer eternally captivated. A crimson moon, depicted in a red even more vivid than the mountain itself, sits against a gold-leaf background, skillfully pulling the entire composition together. This masterful, profound structure makes the piece feel like a painting one can drink from—drawing the viewer into a tiny, five-centimeter-square gallery resting in the palm of one's hand. This exquisite work is a testament to the challenge of applying pigments to the colored canvas of Bizen clay, fully showcasing Anjin Abe's accumulated expertise in ancient ceramics combined with his painterly sense and command of composition. Signed wooden box (shiho-san, double-layered box)
Diameter 6.1cm × Diameter 5.5cm × Height 5.7cm Anjin Abe was originally a Western-style painter. He began collecting ceramics as a hobby, but finding contemporary Bizen ware lacking, he turned to pottery in 1972 to create pieces that satisfied his own standards. He frequently creates water jars (mizusashi), flower vases, flat jars (henko), bowls, sake bottles (tokkuri), and sake cups. All pieces are wheel-thrown and finished with a spatula. He centers his ceramic practice on Momoyama-period ancient Bizen and is highly particular about his firing methods. He also engages in diverse forms of expression, presenting works that combine various materials and techniques, such as ceramics, lacquer, oil painting, and bronze (mixed media). He holds exhibitions energetically both in Japan and abroad, including in Tokyo, Osaka, New York, and Paris.