Black Horned Shuten

This is a black square sake cup by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and has brought a breath of fresh air to the world of Bizen pottery with his exceptional sense and masterful sculptural ability. While taking advantage of the characteristics of Bizen pottery as an earthen medium, he skillfully incorporates essences from his roots in fields such as wood carving, resulting in a unique work that is instantly recognizable as his own. The square form is something of a signature for Isezaki; after being shaped on a potter's wheel, the four sides are pressed and solidified, then deeply carved with a spatula. He has applied the spatula evenly to the waist, corners, and four faces, and the edges are where the black slip becomes thin, revealing a brownish hue that adds a more refined atmosphere to the piece. Each side displays a diverse range of black kiln-transformation effects, from golden sesame-like deposits (goma) to sapphire-like blue glassy transformations and milky white pools of natural glaze, making it a piece you can gaze at forever without tiring. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 5.3cm x Diameter 5.1cm x Height 7.0cm Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen pottery, with his grandfather being the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki and his uncle the Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki; he 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 pottery for about two years under Jeff Shapiro, a ceramic artist based in New York City, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and pottery. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under his father alongside other apprentices. In 2002, he submitted a piece to the Tanabe Museum of Art's Tea Ceremony Exhibition for the first time and was selected.