Bizen Guinomi

A master with deep insight into old ceramics and a keen aesthetic sense, Anjin Abe created singular works through original research and firing methods. This earlier Bizen piece was made around 2008 and, like old Bizen, was fired multiple times to recreate a beautifully weathered surface.

Its defining feature is the deep, lustrous clay color, a densely layered field where black and dark brown mingle into a complex whole—fully comparable to old Bizen surfaces.

The tonal shifts from applied slip are equally compelling: the foot, the waist, and the two lateral faces each present markedly different hues.

On the front, a rich veil of Kigoma accompanies a carved iris motif, setting a striking contrast between vigorous kiln effects and bold incision.
On the reverse, only a simple moon is engraved; by carving through the slip, the underlying clay color emerges, almost like a wax-resist effect.

Purchased new and carefully stored unused ever since.

He was born in Osaka Prefecture in 1938.
Although he was a painter, he began pottery in 1972.
He built a kiln in Ushimado, Okayama Prefecture, in 1986.