Black Cup

This is a brand new black *sakazuki* (sake cup) fresh from the kiln by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and who is breathing new life into the world of Bizen ware through his exceptional sense of style and masterful modeling skills. This latest work features the black slip coating that has become synonymous with the Isezaki family. The thoroughly fired black surface is smooth and lustrous, providing a pleasing finish for a piece that will come into direct contact with the lips and fingers as a sake cup. Designed in the style of an *amagasa* (conical straw hat), the piece was actually fired with an *amagasa* placed over it, resulting in a charming effect where yellow *goma* (sesame ash glaze) flows down like rain sliding off a straw hat. The interior view condenses the fascination of black works fired in an *anagama* kiln, offering a mystical gradation—impossible to create by hand—that is akin to peering into a black hole. Signed wooden box to be provided later
Diameter: 9.5cm × 9.1cm × Height: 3.8cm Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen ware, with his grandfather being Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki and his uncle being Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki; Koichiro 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 spent approximately two years studying under Jeff Shapiro, a ceramic artist based in New York City, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under his father and received guidance alongside his father's apprentices. In 2002, his work was accepted for the first time at the Tanabe Museum of Art’s Tea Ceremony Exhibition.