This crystal sake cup, created by Takeo Yoshida (1916-2002), a leading glass artist of the Showa era, is a supreme piece that embodies the extremely high purity of the material and his creative philosophy of skillfully manipulating the refraction of light. Takeo Yoshida was an artist who dedicated his life not to the pursuit of flashy decoration or new techniques, but to sincerely engaging with the pure material of crystal glass and bringing out its transparency. This philosophy is strongly reflected in this work, whose geometric composition, free of unnecessary decoration, accentuates the beauty of the material.
Particularly eye-catching is the profound "sculptural chamfering" on the base. The sharp cuts, which seem as if light has been sharply carved out of a block of glass, are a design style that is synonymous with the artist, and perfectly embody the aesthetic beauty he pursued by "giving form to the structure of light." Another major highlight of this piece is the single round air bubble intentionally trapped in the center of the thick base's bottom. Located in a space that has been stripped of impurities to the utmost extent, this single particle of air focuses the light reflected by the surrounding chamfered cuts toward its center, giving off a mysterious glow like that of a silvery jewel.
The bowl for pouring sake is a neat cylinder, but a closer look at its base reveals a delicate engraved pattern reminiscent of flowing water or wind, lending a soft nuance to the hard crystal. Though the piece measures a modest 3.5cm wide and 8.0cm high, holding it conveys the comfortable weight and solid mass characteristic of crystal in the palm of your hand. The bold "Made by Takeo" signature and seal inscribed on the accompanying box symbolize the pride of the artist, who has continually questioned the true value of the material. This piece, which incorporates light itself as part of its design, is a masterpiece that fully expresses Takeo Yoshida's exceptional sensibility through the contrast between its clean lines and the single air bubble at the base.
Artist: Takeo Yoshida (1916-2002)
Artist's most notable career: [ 1974]He received the Minister of Labor's Award as a Contemporary Master Craftsman , was selected for the 24th Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition for the first time in 1977, won the Tokyo Governor's Award at the 28th Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition in 1981, was awarded the Medal with Yellow Ribbon in 1986, and his masterpiece "Date Gourd" is now in the collection of the National Crafts Museum in1988. He received the Minister of International Trade and Industry's Award (Traditional Crafts Industry Outstanding Technician Award) in 1990 , and in 1992.He was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fifth Class, and in 1995 received the Japan Crafts Association Holder's Award at the 42nd Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition.
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