Bizen Yunomi

This Bizen ware tea cup is by Kousuke Kaneshige, the leader of the Kaneshige family and son of the late Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige, the man credited with the great revival of Bizen ware. It features the distinctive "doshime" (waist-constriction) design that makes it recognizable as Kousuke’s work at a glance, lending a refined form to the piece while also making it comfortable to hold. The piece is fired so magnificently that it seems a waste to use it only as a tea cup; it boasts a luxurious landscape, with thick mustard-colored *kigoma* (yellow sesame-seed ash glaze) flowing like a waterfall or splashing across the surface in a dynamic, varied display. The clay surface is similarly rich, baked to a deep, chocolate-toned finish. The intense firing has effectively coated the piece, resulting in a smooth texture that makes it even more pleasant to use. Signed wooden box (double-slat lid)
Diameter 6.9cm × 7.0cm × Height 9.5cm Kousuke Kaneshige is the third son of Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. He graduated from the Sculpture Department of Tokyo University of the Arts in 1968 and completed his graduate studies in sculpture there in 1970. He began presenting ceramic works in 1975, and after serving as a lecturer in the School of Liberal Arts at Tokai University, he returned home in 1977. He built his climbing kiln in 1982. He creates objects, tea utensils, flower vases, tableware, and sake vessels. In 1991, he created the ceramic mural "Light and Wind" for the Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance building in Okayama. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 1994. In 1997, he exhibited at the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition. He holds solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Osaka, and elsewhere. In 2012, he was designated a Holder of Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property.