{"title":"Isezaki Mitsuru (伊勢崎満)","description":"\u003cp\u003eWorks by the ceramic artist Isezaki Mitsuru (伊勢崎満, 1934–2011) currently available at Antique Liquor.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"169","title":"Bizen Akae Sake Cup by Isezaki Mitsuru (伊勢崎満), Bizen Ware, Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property #169","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"29\"\u003eMitsuru Isesaki (1934–2011), the eldest son of the master craftsman Yozan Isesaki and a designated Intangible Cultural Property Holder for Okayama Prefecture, was a towering figure in the world of traditional Bizen ware. He dedicated his life to restoring the medieval \"Old Bizen\" style, serving as the spiritual backbone of the craft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"30\"\u003eThis piece features \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"30\" data-index-in-node=\"20\"\u003eMitsuru’s signature alongside the \"Yozan\" seal\u003c\/b\u003e on its presentation box. Throughout his career, Mitsuru continued to use this prestigious family seal as the head of \"Yozan-gama,\" honoring the legacy of his father. It serves as a testament to his pride in his lineage and a guarantee of the authentic quality of the Isesaki family kilns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"31\"\u003eNotably, this \"Bizen Aka-e\" (red enamel) work is estimated to have been created during \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"31\" data-index-in-node=\"87\"\u003eMitsuru’s mature later years, from the late 1990s into the 2000s\u003c\/b\u003e, when his artistic sensibility reached its zenith. Having mastered the stoic, unglazed aesthetic of traditional Bizen, it is significant that the master chose to embrace the modern challenge of \"color\" in his final decades. He overcame the technical difficulty of bonding enamel to iron-rich Bizen clay through firing techniques refined over half a century, achieving a magnificent contrast between the earth's weight and the vivid red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"32\"\u003eWithin the traditional brownish-brown of Bizen, this work harbors a modern tension. It represents the \"final destination\" of Mitsuru Isesaki—a master who upheld a prestigious name while maintaining a forward-looking, timeless sensibility. This is a masterpiece of exceptional historical and artistic value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist: \u003c\/strong\u003eIsezaki Mitsuru (伊勢崎満, 1934-2011)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNotable Achievements: \u003c\/strong\u003e1961 Sanyo Shimbun Prize at the Okayama Prefectural Exhibition, 1966 First selection for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, 1972 Grand Prize at the Chunichi International Ceramic Art Exhibition, 1973 Japan Ceramic Society Award, 1984 Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award, 1994 Sanyo Culture Award, 1998 Designated a Holder of Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property for Bizen Ware Production Techniques.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublic Collections:\u003c\/strong\u003e The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto; Victoria and Albert Museum (UK); British Museum (UK), among others.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction Period:\u003c\/strong\u003e Circa 1990s to early 2000s\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Excellent (no chips or cracks) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAccessories:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dedicated wooden box, wrapping cloth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial: \u003c\/strong\u003eCeramic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003eHeight approx. 6 cm, diameter approx. 5.5 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease note: \u003c\/strong\u003eAlthough these items are in unused condition, they are vintage pieces and are listed as second-hand. Please understand that items may show characteristics of aging, and we encourage you to review all details before purchase.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Antique Liquor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47477934129339,"sku":null,"price":55000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0510\/8923\/files\/IMG_4540.jpg?v=1772272950"},{"product_id":"301","title":"British Museum \u0026 MOMAT Collection Artist - Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder, Isezaki Mitsuru (伊勢崎満) - Anagama-Fired Bizen Guinomi Sake Cup with Signed Tomobako, Yohen \u0026 Goma Unglazed Stoneware, One-of-a-Kind #301","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"24\"\u003eThis is an exceptionally distinguished guinomi sake cup, representing the height of classic elegance, meticulously crafted by Isezaki Mitsuru, a master craftsman who significantly shaped the world of Bizen ware during the Showa era by restoring the medieval semi-underground anagama kiln and relentlessly pursuing the fundamental, primeval beauty of earth and fire. Isezaki Mitsuru was born into a highly respected lineage as the son of \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E4%BC%8A%E5%8B%A2%E5%B4%8E%E9%99%BD%E5%B1%B1%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eIsezaki Yozan\u003c\/a\u003e, a celebrated master artisan designated as a holder of Okayama Prefecture’s Intangible Cultural Property. In 1998, Mitsuru himself was formally recognized as a holder of Bizen ware production techniques and certified as an Important Intangible Cultural Property holder by Okayama Prefecture, cementing his reputation as a premier giant of modern Bizen pottery. His single greatest contribution to ceramic history lies in successfully reviving the historical semi-underground anagama kiln—the exact firing environment used for ancient Bizen ware during the Muromachi and Momoyama periods—alongside his younger brother, \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E4%BC%8A%E5%8B%A2%E5%B4%8E%E6%B7%B3%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eIsezaki Jun\u003c\/a\u003e, who is recognized as a Living National Treasure. Completely distinct from modern climbing kilns or automated gas kilns, the traditional anagama kiln presents extreme challenges in temperature control. Isezaki dedicated his creative life to this unpredictable environment, allowing the airborne wood ash from the red pine fuel and the intense, shifting torrents of flame to interact organically with the unglazed clay body, thus capturing a calculatingly elusive natural wonder within the physical form of the vessel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"25\"\u003eThis particular sake cup stands as a true masterwork, beautifully showcasing Isezaki Mitsuru's hallmark anagama yakishime (kiln-fired, unglazed) technique across its entire surface with mesmerizing visual contrast. On one half of the vessel, the melted ash from the burning red pine logs has settled to form \"kase-goma\"—a distinctive, matte, and dry-textured natural ash glaze that exudes a profound rustic charm. Conversely, the opposite side features \"yōhen\" (accidental kiln transformation) created by the dynamic passage of direct flames, which has painted a magnificent smoky coloration of warm scarlet and deep grayish-black across the moist, tactile clay surface. Creating such a sophisticated range of expressions solely through the raw elements of earth and fire, without relying on chemical glazes or painted pigments, requires several days of sleepless, intense kiln monitoring and represents the highest crystallization of a technique perfected over decades. The artist's genuine signature is carved with a spatula beside the foot rim as undeniable proof of authenticity, and on the exterior lid of the accompanying dedicated wooden box (Tomobako), the title \"Bizen Guinomi,\" the artist's personal signature \"Mitsuru,\" and his official vermilion seal (rakkan) are cleanly inscribed and stamped together in a unified composition. Furthermore, the inclusion of the original ceramic biography pamphlet detailing his career achievements up to 1984 (Showa 59) provides objective provenance, certifying this piece as a rare survivor from the early 1980s—the definitive golden era of Isezaki's anagama mastery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"26\"\u003eOur gallery proudly presents this historic vessel, whose sister works are permanently preserved within renowned international institutions such as the British Museum and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, as the ultimate expression of Japanese Kōgei. It is perfectly tailored to bring timeless refinement to a sophisticated modern lifestyle, allowing the collector to hold the heritage of Japan in the palm of their hand. The comfortable, compact proportion and the heavy, powerful structural form make it an incomparable premium vessel for savoring aged sakes, mature spirits, or fine whiskies that have developed a rich complexity and amber luminescence over long periods of cellaring. The contrast between the dry, organic texture of the wood ash and the smooth, moist glaze variations of the kiln transformation resonates beautifully with the spirit poured inside, elevating a quiet evening drink into a luxurious communion with a three-dimensional masterpiece of classic Japanese art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"27\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist: \u003c\/strong\u003eIsezaki Mitsuru (伊勢崎満, 1934-2011)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"28\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist's Notable Career History: \u003c\/strong\u003e[1961] Awarded the Sanyo Shimbun Prize at the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition; [1966] First selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition (in the same year, restored the medieval semi-underground anagama kiln at Kuyasan with his brother, Isezaki Jun); [1972] Received the Grand Prize at the Chunichi International Exhibition of Ceramic Arts; [1973] Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award; [1984] Received the Okayama Prefectural Cultural Encouragement Prize; [1994] Received the Sanyo Culture Prize; [1998] Officially designated as a holder of Okayama Prefectural Important Intangible Cultural Property for Bizen ware production techniques\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"29\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMuseum Collections:\u003c\/strong\u003e The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto; The Victoria and Albert Museum (London, UK); The British Museum (London, UK); and other major public fine art institutions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"30\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod of Production:\u003c\/strong\u003e Circa 1980–1984 (specifically determined by the final recorded year, Showa 59, in the accompanying official documentation)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"31\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good (pristine condition with no chips or cracks, excluding the natural material characteristics and age-related maturation typical of antique and old fine art pieces)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"32\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAccessories:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dedicated Tomobako (original signed and sealed artisan wooden box), original informational pamphlet detailing the artist's profile up to Showa 59\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"33\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial: \u003c\/strong\u003eCeramic (Stoneware \/ Bizen ware, anagama unglazed yakishime, yōhen transformation, natural goma ash glaze)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"34\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003eHeight approx. 5.5 cm, Diameter approx. 5.0 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"35\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c\/strong\u003e Please be advised that all items curated by our gallery, even if unused, originate from a historic production era and are strictly categorized as antique\/collectible fine art. Vintage objects may display subtle age-related nuances; we kindly invite you to consider your purchase with a full understanding of the unique character of antique Japanese ceramics.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Antique Liquor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48055746986171,"sku":null,"price":38000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0510\/8923\/files\/IMG_8601_result.jpg?v=1783739588"}],"url":"https:\/\/antiqueliquor1926.com\/en\/collections\/maker-isezaki-mitsuru.oembed","provider":"Antique Liquor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}