Bizen Mouse

This is a Bizen ware "Heishi" (Year of the Rat) piece by the globally renowned holder of an Intangible Cultural Property, Zenji Urakami, who was decorated with numerous honors. It is part of a series of zodiac figurines created for the 1996 Year of the Rat. The design features a rat perched atop a "lucky mallet" (uchide no kozuchi), a classic motif for Bizen ware rat figurines. The rounded back and ears of the rat are truly charming, offering a different impression from the typically powerful finish associated with Urakami-sensei. The piece is scattered with yellow sesame-seed ash glaze (ki-goma), which creates a profound aesthetic without obscuring the intricate details of the craftsmanship. Original signed wooden box (with two-sided batten lid)
21.2cm (L) × 13.3cm (W) × 13.7cm (H) Zenji Urakami (1914–2006) was born in Imbe and began his journey in ceramics under the tutelage of Shunko Nishimura. In 1935, he became a student of Japan Art Academy member Seibo Kitamura, where he studied sculpture; he also studied woodcarving under Shin Naito and drawing under Saburo Okada and Sakujiro Okubo. He excelled in creating realistic, life-like animal figurines, bronze statues, and ceramic wall art. His major works include the ceramic wall at Okayama Airport, the ceramic plaque of Grand Master Oyama at the Kurashiki City Art Museum, the bronze bust of Toyo Kaneshige at the Bizen Pottery Museum, and the ceramic statue of Kojima Takanori in Tsuyama City. In 1973, his ox figurine won the Gold Medal at the Le Salon 300th Anniversary exhibition. That same year, he was designated a Holder of an Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property. He passed away in March 2006.
Awards: Numerous honors including the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Miki Memorial Award, French Chagall Honorary Award, Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon, Order of the Sacred Treasure (5th Class), and the Grand Prix at the Salon de Paris. Former jury member for the Prefectural Exhibition.