ISEZAKI JUN (LIVING NATIONAL TREASURE): AN EXCELLENT IRON- AND ASH-COLORED BIZEN WARE FLOWER VASE

拍品描述

ISEZAKI JUN (LIVING NATIONAL TREASURE): AN EXCELLENT IRON- AND ASH-COLORED BIZEN WARE FLOWER VASE By Isezaki Jun (b. 1936), signed by the artist Japan, Heisei period (1989-2019) Masterfully shaped, the towering body with a square cross-section supported on four corner feet, subtly articulated with small diagonal reliefs, and rising to a slightly tapered neck punctuated by openings on opposite sides, culminating in a thick, straight-edged mouth. The unglazed, textured surface exhibiting a dry iron-red and deep brown coloration, accented by blackened firing marks and kiln ash deposits, characteristic of traditional Bizen ware. The underside incised with the artist’s signature. HEIGHT 26.3 cm, LENGTH 7.8 cm With the original wood storage box (tomobako), signed and sealed by the artist. Isezaki Jun (b. 1936) was born into a family with deep roots in Bizen ceramics, as the second son of ceramic artist Isezaki Yozan (1902–1961). Immersed from an early age in the traditions and techniques of Bizen ware, he developed a profound understanding of clay, fire, and form. After graduating from Okayama University in 1959, he returned to the family craft, apprenticing under his father and, following his passing in 1961, collaborating with his brother Isezaki Mitsuru (1934-2011) to preserve and advance the inherited legacy. That same year, they restored Koyasan, a medieval-style semi-underground anagama kiln, enabling the production of tea bowls that embodied the timeless aesthetic of Bizen ceramics, continuing techniques and philosophies that have defined the tradition since the twelfth century. Isezaki Jun became a full member of the Japan Kogei Association in 1966 and joined the faculty at Okayama University in 1978, influencing a new generation of ceramic artists. His mastery of Bizen ware earned the Kaneshige Toyo Prize in 1981, and in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Japanese cultural heritage, he was designated a Living National Treasure in 2004, the highest honor for practitioners of traditional arts. His works are held in major collections worldwide, including the British Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Musée Cernuschi. Museum comparison: Compare a related ash-glazed Bizen ware flower vase, by Isezaki Jun, Heisei period, 2005, 54 cm high, in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 2006.843.

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