{"product_id":"p7873","title":"Lapis Lazuli Tea Cup (Left-facing Horse)","description":"This is a Bizen lapis lazuli tea cup by Takashi Baba, an artist born in Imbe who has loved Bizen ware since childhood and finds his life's joy in creating works and firing kilns.\u003cbr\u003e\nThis latest piece was fired in a newly designed climbing kiln in June 2025, and features an auspicious \"left-facing horse\" (hidari-uma) carved into the waist.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nBased on Shigaraki clay, it is finished with a lapis lazuli glaze containing cobalt, showcasing the authentic glazing style expected of Baba-sensei, who is deeply dedicated to glaze research.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe coarse texture of the Shigaraki clay reacts beautifully with the lapis glaze to create a sense of depth throughout, allowing the piece to show various expressions depending on the light and the angle from which it is viewed.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAround the inner rim, the glaze is relatively thick, resulting in a deeper shade of lapis, while the color becomes lighter along the curve of the waist before reaching the base of the bowl, creating a glaze effect with remarkable depth and intrigue when viewed from the inside.\n\nNo box included (*a paulownia wood box can be crafted separately)\nDiameter 9.1cm x 9.0cm x Height 8.2cm\n\nTakashi Baba was born in 1983 as the eldest son of Bizen ware artist Shosuke Baba.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThinking from a young age that he would become a ceramic artist, he chose to study sculpture in university to broaden his perspective on pottery.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 2006, he graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts with a degree in sculpture and honed his skills at the Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Technology and Culture.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe became independent in 2007 and held his first solo exhibition.\n\u003cbr\u003e\nCurrently, he is active primarily through solo exhibitions at department stores.","brand":"馬場隆志","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618212466785,"sku":"7873","price":8800.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/7873.jpg?v=1790233397","url":"https:\/\/tourakuen.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/p7873","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}