{"product_id":"253","title":"Tatsuzo Shimaoka (Living National Treasure) 1961 15th Anniversary Work \"Roar of a New Star\" Jomon Inlay Pair of Teacups, Sake Set, Rock Glasses (2-piece set) #253","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"18\"\u003eWe are pleased to introduce a highly significant cup by Tatsuzo Shimaoka (1919-2007), a living national treasure in contemporary pottery, renowned for his \"Jomon Zogan\" (Jomon inlay) technique. This piece marks a pivotal moment when Shimaoka re-evaluated his artistic roots and declared his independence as an artist. This monumental work was created in 1961, fifteen years after Shimaoka became an apprentice to the great master Shoji Hamada in 1946. The year 1961 was a historical turning point that could be called the \"eve of a leap,\" as Shimaoka built his own climbing kiln in Mashiko, and the following year, 1962, he received the Japan Folk Crafts Museum Award, rapidly emerging as a rising star in the pottery world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"18\"\u003eThe design applied to this piece features Shimaoka's signature Jomon inlay technique, with the braided cords at the core of the pattern utilizing relics from his father, a master kumihimo (braiding) craftsman. His mentor, Shoji Hamada, described Shimaoka's style as possessing the skill to master most techniques but deliberately focusing his work to suit his preferences, praising his subdued work by likening it to the pattern of tsumugi silk. This aesthetic of restraint is alive in this piece as well, with a bold ridge applied midway through the vessel, giving the form an architectural stability and a profound presence. The Jomon pattern running diagonally from this ridge is pressed more deeply and powerfully compared to the refined expressions of his later Living National Treasure era, inscribing the raw yet pure passion of the young Shimaoka as he sought to establish his own style on the surface of the clay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"18\"\u003eAnalyzing this work from a technical perspective, the contrast of the white clay (inlay) embedded in the Jomon grooves is remarkably vivid, indicating the high level of perfection in the inlay technique that unifies different clays at temperatures exceeding 1200 degrees Celsius. The masterful skill with which Shimaoka established his unique style, entrusting the Jomon pattern to the tool of a cord, is precisely the manifestation of originality that his mentor Hamada acknowledged, saying, \"Indeed, this is exactly what one would expect from Shimaoka.\" This piece embodies Shimaoka's characteristic sincere personality, which, while harboring strong inner confidence, consciously maintains a humble presentation, culminating in the form of a pair of teacups, an everyday item closely tied to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"18\"\u003eWe propose this historic teacup, created at the milestone of Shimaoka's 15th year of pottery, as a rock glass for enjoying amber-colored aged sake or Japanese whisky. When clear aged spirits are poured into it, the inlay lines that penetrate the interior of the vessel and the powerful Jomon irregularities refract through the liquid, creating a moment of deep contemplation that visually symbolizes the accumulation of time. On the inside of the lid of the accompanying wooden box, the inscription \"Commemorating 15 Years of Pottery\" is clearly written by the artist himself. Among Shimaoka's many works, its documentary value, allowing for the specific dating of its production, is extremely high, making it a benchmark piece closely watched by curators and collectors worldwide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e*Comments from Shoji Hamada, Shimaoka's mentor\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003eShimaoka, typical of someone raised in downtown Tokyo, possesses strong inner confidence but consciously remains modest in presenting his work. Having graduated from the Ceramics Department of Tokyo Institute of Technology more than twenty years ago, and having become accustomed to the Mashiko clay, he has the skill to master most techniques, yet he deliberately focuses his work, restraining it to his preferences.\u003cbr\u003eShimaoka has adopted a unique inlay pattern, drawing inspiration from Jomon pottery techniques. The main braided cords used in this work are relics from his father, who was a master kumihimo craftsman. The cleverness with which he entrusts the pattern to the cord to establish his own style is truly characteristic of Shimaoka. His work is generally subdued; if it were a kimono, one might say the thread is tsumugi silk and the pattern is kasuri.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShoji Hamada (1894-1978)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tatsuzo Shimaoka (1919-2007)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist's Major Achievements:\u003c\/strong\u003e [1962] Awarded the Japan Folk Crafts Museum Award, [1980] Awarded the Tochigi Prefecture Cultural Merit Award, [1994] Awarded the Japan Ceramic Society Gold Award, [1996] Designated as a Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property \"Jomon Zogan\" (Living National Treasure), [1999] Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWorks Housed In: \u003c\/strong\u003eVictoria and Albert Museum (London), British Museum (London), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Brooklyn Museum (New York), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japan Folk Crafts Museum (a sacred site carrying on the legacy of his mentor Shoji Hamada and Soetsu Yanagi), Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art, Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, etc.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate of Production: \u003c\/strong\u003e1961 (15th anniversary of Tatsuzo Shimaoka's pottery career)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very good (no chips, no cracks)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAccessories: \u003c\/strong\u003eTomobako (original wooden box)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial: \u003c\/strong\u003eCeramic (Jomon Inlay)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e [Large] Height approx. 9.2cm, Mouth diameter approx. 9.0cm, [Small] Height approx. 8.2cm, Mouth diameter approx. 8.0cm\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote: \u003c\/strong\u003eAll products offered by our store, even if unused, are very old productions and are listed as used items. Products may have damage due to age, so please consider purchasing after understanding and confirming this.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Antique Liquor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47835534786747,"sku":null,"price":200000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0510\/8923\/files\/IMG_6517_result.jpg?v=1778943846","url":"https:\/\/antiqueliquor1926.com\/en\/products\/253","provider":"Antique Liquor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}