Bizen Yunomi

This is a brand new Bizen tea cup fresh from the kiln by Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, an artist who continues to lead the world of Bizen ware with an inexhaustible creative power. This piece exhibits a well-balanced array of characteristics typical of an anagama kiln firing, featuring a finish representative of Isezaki Bizen with *goma* (ash glaze), *hidasuki* (fire-cord markings), and a beautiful gradation between the white clay and scarlet tones. The straw wrapping creates a *hidasuki* pattern that circles the cup like a monk's vestment, a scene so captivating that one loses track of time tracing the flow of the marks. The interior also displays the distinctive scenery of an anagama firing, with a crisp, beautiful yellow *goma* cascading down into the well of the cup, forming golden grains like falling snow—it makes finishing a drink all the more enjoyable. While labeled as a tea cup, it is, of course, equally suited for use as a beer glass. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included
Diameter 8.1cm × 8.0cm × Height 10.1cm Jun Isezaki was born the second son of Yozan Isezaki, a master of ceramic craft, and learned pottery from an early age before embarking on his professional career after graduating from the Okayama University Special Art Course in 1959. His body of work is vast, spanning traditional pieces such as flower vases, plates, and tea ceramics, as well as sculptural ceramic walls and objects. He places great emphasis on both shaping and firing, utilizing the distinct characteristics of his materials and kilns (anagama, climbing, and electric) to create a style imbued with a modern sensibility. He is also a leading figure in relief art, having unveiled numerous works in that medium. He became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1966, and from 1978 served as a special lecturer in art at Okayama University for nine years. In 1998, he and his brother Mitsuru were both designated as Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property holders, and that same year, he became the secretary-general of the Chugoku branch of the Japan Kōgei Association. In July 2004, he was designated a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure).
Awards: Recipient of numerous honors, including the Toyo Kaneshige Memorial Award, the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award, the Sanyo Shimbun Award, and the Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Arts Exhibition, among others. Has served as a judge for prefectural exhibitions.