Bizen Chawan

This is a Bizen tea bowl by Kei Fujiwara, a master beloved by all for a warm artistic style that radiated his bold, open-hearted nature and gentleness. The unadorned form, characteristic of Fujiwara who loved the simple, unaffected beauty of old Bizen ware from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, features clay that is stretched out so expansively that it is a joy to behold. The form, which appears to be stretched out in complete comfort, is so generous that when you hold it in your hands, you can almost visualize Fujiwara-sensei smiling as he worked on his pottery. It is a piece that makes you feel not only the love for the clay that was typical of Fujiwara-sensei—who found healing in the soil after returning home with shattered dreams—but also the love he received from the clay itself. Original wooden box (signed, with two-way crossbar)
Diameter 14.5cm × Diameter 14.5cm × Height 9.3cm Kei Fujiwara (1899–1983, born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture) entered the world of Bizen pottery at the suggestion of Atsuo Masamune, a scholar of Japanese literature living in Honami, Bizen City. He was taught wheel-throwing techniques by Baikai Mimura, and from 1941, he honed his skills by learning firing methods from fellow Living National Treasure Toyo Kaneshige. Following the simplicity and boldness found in the utilitarian wares of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, he created jars and flower vases with an expansive and clear style. The cultural refinement he absorbed in his youth greatly influenced his work. In 1954, he became the second person designated as a Living National Treasure for Bizen ware, and in 1958, he became a director of the Japan Kōgei Association. In 1977, the Kei Fujiwara Memorial Museum was established in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture.
Major awards and honors... Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Chugoku Cultural Award, Honorary Citizen of Bizen City, Honorary Resident of Okayama Prefecture; posthumously awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class.