Bizen Square Plate

This is a previous work of a square Bizen-yaki plate by Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, who continues to lead the Bizen pottery world with an inexhaustible creative force. Produced in the 1960s, this early work possesses a rare quality distinct from his current firing style. Based on the deep reddish clay texture characteristic of an anagama wood-fired kiln, it features very fine, yellow sesame-like ash deposits that have fallen like a light rain, forming a unique sesame-flecked surface. Unlike the *hidasuki* (fire-cord) markings that merge with the clay body in his contemporary works, these markings are sharp, distinct, and shorter in length, creating a more defined aesthetic. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
24.8cm × 24.1cm × 2.5cm (height) Jun Isezaki was born as the second son of Yozan Isezaki, a master known for his intricate ceramic craft. He learned pottery from a young age and embarked on his career after graduating from the Special Art Course at Okayama University in 1959. His body of work is wide-ranging, encompassing traditional pieces such as flower vases, plates, and tea ceremony utensils, as well as ceramic wall reliefs and sculptures. He places great emphasis on both the forming and firing processes. His style is characterized by a modern sensibility that leverages the unique properties of his materials and various kilns (anagama, climbing, and electric kilns). He is also recognized as a leading artist of ceramic reliefs, having presented numerous works. He became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1966 and served as a special lecturer in fine arts at Okayama University for nine years starting in 1978. In 1998, he and his brother, Mitsuru, were both designated as Holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture, and he also served as Secretary General of the Chugoku Branch of the Japan Kōgei Association that same year. In July 2004, he was designated as a Living National Treasure (Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property).
Awards: Toyo Kaneshige Prize, Okayama Prefectural Cultural Encouragement Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Sculpture Exhibition, and many others / Member of the Prefectural Exhibition Judging Committee