Bizen Yusai kuro Syochuhai

This is a newly fired "Yusai Black" shochu cup by Intangible Cultural Property holder Yuichi Yamamoto, son of the legendary master potter Toshu Yamamoto. This shochu cup is the first piece from the "Yusai Black" series created in this firing, and by firing it to the absolute limit, he has achieved a stunning black that looks as if sumi ink is seeping from the surface. Master Yuichi himself stated that only a few pieces out of a hundred were successful, making this a rare find; the black, achieved without the use of applied slip, possesses both the profound, mysterious atmosphere typical of Bizen ware and the intriguing nature of the color black. The sesame glaze (goma) has also been affected by the intense firing, creating a dizzying gradation of green, white, and gold over a base of black, glassy kiln transformation (yohen). The form, too, has been influenced by the intense heat; while the piece began with the near-perfect symmetry typical of Yamamoto Bizen, the heat has caused the shape to gently warp—an interesting testament to the way his work transcends the potter's wheel to engage directly with the flames. Signed wooden box (double-crosspiece lid)
Diameter 8.4cm x Diameter 8.0cm x Height 8.5cm Yuichi Yamamoto is the eldest son of Living National Treasure Toshu Yamamoto and began his path in ceramics under his father in 1959. In 1968, he became the first to introduce a gas kiln for Bizen ware. Driven by his scientific curiosity, he researched methods to turn hidasuki (fire-cord patterns)—a technique that often relied on chance—into intentional designs. He devised the "Himon" and "Hisai" techniques, using an extract boiled down from rice straw like paint to draw flowers and patterns onto the clay surface to create artificial hidasuki. He produces a wide range of works, including vases, tea utensils, jars, and large bowls. He became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1967. In 1995, he published an introductory book for makers titled "Techniques of Bizen Ware: Tradition and Creation." In 1996, he won the Tanabe Museum Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Modeling Exhibition. In the same year, he was certified as a holder of an Okayama Prefectural Important Intangible Cultural Property.
Awards: Numerous honors including the Kaneshige Toyo Award, Okayama Prefectural Cultural Encouragement Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon, Sanyo Shimbun Art and Culture Merit Award, and the Tea Ceremony Modeling Exhibition Grand Prize / Served as a judge for prefectural exhibitions
Affiliations: Japan Kōgei Association, Bizen-yaki Toshinkai, Bigeikai, Gengakai, Kunpukai