22818 Living National Treasure MIWA Kyuwa (Hagi ware sake bottle)

Height 12.8cm Diameter 9.3cm

[Works exhibited at the New Year Special Exhibition]

He began making pottery as the second son of Miwa Setsudo, the 9th head of Miwa Kiln, which had been the official kiln of the Hagi domain since the early Edo period and had been producing Hagi ware for generations. When Setsudo retired in 1927, he became the 10th head of Miwa Kiln and took the name of Miwa Kyusetsu 10th. He formed the Karahine-kai with Kawakita Handeishi, Kaneshige Toyo, and Arakawa Toyozo, and pioneered Hagi ware through his own training. In his later years, he handed over the title of Miwa Kyusetsu 11th to his younger brother (later to become Living National Treasure Miwa Jusetsu), and took on the name Miwa Kyukazu himself, making a great contribution to the history of modern Japanese pottery, eventually being recognized as a Living National Treasure for Hagi ware. This work is a representative example of Miwa Kyukazu's highly artistic work, which combines the good old traditions with his own style while sincerely engaging with Hagi ware. The work is lustrous, truly beautiful, and perfectly executed, a testament to the skill of Miwa Kyuwa sensei.