{"product_id":"p7723","title":"Bizen Hidasuki Sake Cup","description":"This is a Bizen hidaski sake cup (guinomi) by Kei Fujiwara, an artist beloved by all for a warm style that exudes gentleness, despite his bold and open-hearted character.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nJudging by the style, this is a work from Fujiwara's middle period, featuring the classic Fujiwara family red clay adorned with a hidaski (fire-cord) pattern.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe piece exhibits a large-scale, free-spirited form created through masterful wheel-throwing, with a deep, spacious interior characteristic of Fujiwara, who was himself known as a heavy drinker.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIt features the signature hidaski of the Fujiwara family from this period, with a rich, intense fire-cord pattern applied over a red clay body that has been fired to a matte texture, almost feeling like unglazed pottery.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe hidaski itself is fascinating; it possesses a dark hue, as if the essence of the rice straw were tightly concentrated, and stands out with a strong luster that contrasts with the matte texture of the clay.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn contrast to the exterior, the interior features a smooth surface that has thoroughly absorbed the smoke from the burning rice straw, allowing one to enjoy the tactile difference between the inside and outside while swirling sake within the cup.\n\nOriginal box (signed, with two-way crossbar construction)\u003cbr\u003e\nDiameter 6.9cm x 6.5cm, Height 5.5cm\n\nKei Fujiwara (1899–1983; born in Honami, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) entered the world of Bizen pottery at the urging of Atsuo Masamune, a scholar of Japanese literature living in Honami.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe received instruction in wheel-throwing from Baikkei Mimura, and from 1941, he studied firing techniques and honed his pottery skills under Toyo Kaneshige, the first Living National Treasure for Bizen ware.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn his creative process, he aspired to the simplicity and boldness seen in ancient Bizen pottery from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, establishing a clear, generous style that did not rely overly on technique.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe artistic cultivation he developed during his youth, when he aspired to become a writer and poet, also greatly influenced his work.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe was designated a Preserver of Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama Prefecture in 1954 and became a director of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1958.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 1970, he was designated a Preserver of Important Intangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government, commonly known as a Living National Treasure.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum opened in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, in 1977.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe passed away in 1983.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nMajor awards and honors: Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award, Honorary Citizen of Bizen City, Honorary Prefectural Citizen of Okayama, Junior Fifth Rank, Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, etc.","brand":"藤原 啓","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618205913185,"sku":"7723","price":49500.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/7723.jpg?v=1790233158","url":"https:\/\/tourakuen.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/p7723","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}