{"product_id":"p6757","title":"Bizen tea caddy","description":"This is a Bizen tea caddy (cha-ire) from an earlier period by Yuichi Yamamoto, an Intangible Cultural Property holder and son of the master craftsman Toshu Yamamoto, who was known for his god-like skills.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe piece is accompanied by a ceramic biography dated October 2005, and it is believed to have been created around that time.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nTea caddies were the specialty of his father, Toshu, who was famed as a master of the potter's wheel, and this magnificent piece fully demonstrates the techniques Yuichi inherited from him.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn terms of form, it is a perfect example of a \"shibari\" (broad-bottomed) tea caddy: the sharp, refined shoulders, the graceful body featuring finely and uniformly arranged wheel marks, and the seamless transition to the plump base create a silhouette that one could gaze upon forever without tiring.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nExtremely delicate wheel marks remain visible on the surface of the piece, conveying the high level of difficulty involved in creating a tea caddy.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nTo complement the superb form, the firing resulted in a magnificent kiln transformation (yohen). Even the large, perfectly round \"nuke\" (a lighter area caused by contact with other pieces during firing), which would normally overshadow the vessel itself, is firmly captured by the plump, broad-bottomed shape, much like a vast ocean absorbing the sun.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe silk pouch (shifuku) bears the name \"Meibutsu Fujitane Donsu.\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAlthough it is an older work, it shows no signs of use or staining.\n\nOriginal wooden box (with four-way splines and ivory lid for the pouch) included.\u003cbr\u003e\nDiameter 7.4cm x 7.3cm x Height 8.6cm (including ivory lid)\n\nYuichi Yamamoto was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1935 as the eldest son of Toshu Yamamoto.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe entered the path of pottery in 1959 under his father, Toshu.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1968, he became the first Bizen ware potter to introduce a gas kiln.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1967.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1995, he published \"Techniques of Bizen Ware: Tradition and Creation,\" an introductory book for creators.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1996, he received the Tanabe Museum of Art Grand Prize at the \"Exhibition of Tea Ceremony Ceramics.\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThat same year, he was designated as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nWith a scientific spirit of inquiry, Yuichi Yamamoto engaged in research to intentionally express the \"hidasuki\" (fire-cord) patterns that usually occur by chance.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe devised the \"Himon\" and \"Hisai\" techniques of artificial hidasuki, using extract boiled from rice straw like paint to draw flowers and patterns onto the clay body.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe creates a wide range of works, focusing primarily on vases and tea utensils, but also including jars and large bowls.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAwards: Numerous awards including the Kaneshige Toyo Award, Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon, Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Arts and Culture Merit Award, and the Grand Prize at the Exhibition of Tea Ceremony Ceramics. Served as a juror for prefectural exhibitions.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAffiliations: Japan Kōgei Association, Bizen-yaki Toshinkai, Bigeikai, Gengakai, Kunpukai","brand":"山本雄一","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618061963361,"sku":"6757","price":150000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/6757.jpg?v=1790231810","url":"https:\/\/tourakuen.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/p6757","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}