Bizen tea cup

This Bizen teacup is the work of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, who continues to lead the world of Bizen pottery with an inexhaustible creative power. This latest piece was fired in the Koyasan anagama kiln, which he restored alongside his father, Yozan, and his brother, Mitsuru. It showcases the quintessential Isezaki Bizen style, featuring a beautiful finish with sesame (goma) glaze, scarlet flame-markings (hi-dasuki), and a gradient from white clay to vivid red. A straw strand is wrapped diagonally around the piece, creating a continuous flame-marking that encircles the cup, drawing the eye and making one lose track of time while tracing its flow. The exterior offers a beautifully balanced contrast between the white and red clay tones, while the interior features a rich variety of scenery, including fine, snow-like sprinkled sesame glaze. The beauty of the scarlet red, a hallmark of Isezaki's work, is particularly exceptional, transitioning brilliantly from a tea-brown to a vibrant red and into the white clay. While noted as a teacup on the box, it is, of course, also perfect for use as a beer glass. Original signed box to follow later (please allow some time for delivery).
Diameter 8.0cm x 8.1cm x Height 9.5cm Jun Isezaki was born the second son of Yozan Isezaki, a master of ceramic sculpture. He learned pottery from a young age and began his professional career after graduating from the Special Fine Arts Course at Okayama University in 1959. His body of work is diverse, ranging from traditional vases, plates, and tea ceremony utensils to ceramic murals and sculptural objects. He places great emphasis on both form and firing, utilizing the unique characteristics of his materials and kilns (anagama, climbing, and electric kilns) to create works filled with a contemporary sensibility. He is also recognized as a leading relief artist and has unveiled numerous works. He became a regular member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1966 and served as a special art instructor at Okayama University for nine years starting in 1978. In 1998, he and his brother Mitsuru were both designated Holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture; that same year, he became the Secretary General of the Chugoku Branch of the Japan Kōgei Association. In July 2004, he was designated a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure).
Awards: Numerous honors including the Kaneshige Toyo Award, Okayama Prefecture Cultural Incentive Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, and Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Arts Exhibition; served as a judge for the Prefectural Art Exhibition.