Bizen Guinomi

This Bizen sake cup is a recent work by the brilliant and eccentric artist Juroku Harada, who was once told by the great Bizen authority Matasaburo Katsura—with whom he studied ancient Bizen—that he had a "frighteningly promising future." This piece dates from the latter period of his firing at his own kiln and includes a ceramic biography from around 2013. Beyond its profound form, this work features an interesting landscape in the style of *haikaburi* (ash-covered) *yohen* (kiln change), combining a light gray kiln transformation with *kumadori* shading and rich, vivid scarlet highlights—a unique and intriguing combination for a Juroku Bizen piece. Yet, true to the genius of Juroku Harada, when viewed part by part, every element is unparalleled; the scarlet sections, in particular, are not the result of under-firing but are fired to such a dense, hard state that they even possess a subtle luster. The overwhelming presence of the coil-built form is another highlight, with rugged wrinkles formed around the base as the moisture left the clay during shaping. It has an outstanding, rock-like presence in the palm, yet it remains within a weight range that makes it perfectly functional as a sake cup. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 7.6cm x 7.0cm x Height 6.9cm After graduating from Meiji University, Juroku Harada worked for a company before beginning his pottery career in 1969. In 1971, he built an *ana-gama* (tunnel kiln), followed by a climbing kiln the next year, to begin his work in earnest. From 1975, he studied ancient Bizen by visiting old kiln sites under the guidance of the ancient Bizen researcher Matasaburo Katsura. In 1991, he built an *ana-gama* kiln on Amidayama in Ushimado. He produced jars, tea ceremony utensils, leaf-shaped dishes, and more. While he primarily used the coiling technique, he also incorporated wheel-thrown elements. He held solo exhibitions across Japan, including in Tokyo and Osaka. In 1983, he held a joint exhibition with Kenji Funaki of Fushina ware at the National Museum of Ethnology in Australia. He received the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 2000. In 2002, his work was exhibited at and acquired by the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu, for its opening commemorative exhibition. In 2005, his work was acquired by the New Orleans Museum of Art in the United States.