Hello everyone, how are you doing?
Today, September 16th (Sat), marks the beginning of an exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the passing of Toyo Kaneshige.
It has been 50 years since he departed this world in 1967,
but many of Toyo's masterpieces that continue to captivate people to this day are on display.
What was the driving force behind the creation of works that continue to fascinate people for so long?
What was the source of these captivating works by Toyo?
Known for being extremely stoic on the path of pottery, strict with others,
and even stricter with himself,
I feel that at the root of that strictness was, after all, a powerful desire to leave behind great works.
Perhaps by confronting the extraordinary pieces left behind by the anonymous masters of the Momoyama period that exude such overwhelming energy,
he thought about what he must do if his own works were also to remain for future generations.
Bizen ware did not emerge sporadically by chance in different eras,
but has matured while accompanying the lives and hearts of people.
When I see the masterpieces left by Toyo, the Bizen ware of the late Edo and Meiji periods, and the ancient Bizen from the Edo, Momoyama, and Muromachi periods,
not as independent, scattered events but as one great journey,
I strongly felt that I, too, want to weave a new path, sometimes viewing my own journey from above, sometimes sprinting, and sometimes wandering off the beaten track.
By Toyo Kaneshige, Bizen Masu (Box container), also for use as a Sake cup
Although this masu is generally said to have been made as a lid rest for tea ceremony utensils,
this time, Kosuke sensei has inscribed the box as "Also for use as a sake cup."
It is just the right size to hold, and you can drink sake from its corner.
This work is from the period when production was shifting from hand-formed pieces to wheel-thrown pieces,
using levigated clay, which was used for hand-formed items at the time,
characterized by its crisp, firmly fired clay texture.
While Bizen ware is generally uniform in its brown color,
this piece is somewhat rare, with half of it naturally fired into a black color.
The stamp, which is modeled after a Kyoto-style square measure (masu), is not obscured by the sesame ash glaze (goma),
allowing one to enjoy both the striking landscape and the fine craftsmanship.
(Toyo Kaneshige / Bizen Masu, also for use as a sake cup, box inscribed by Kosuke)
size: diameter 5.8cm x 5.8cm x height 4.3cm price: Sold
For detailed images and other inquiries regarding this piece, please contact us below.
Tel 0869-67-2210 Fax 0869-67-2220
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