22822 Nakamura Rokuro (Bizen sake cup) NAKAMURA Rokuro

Height 4.7cm Diameter 7.1cm

[Works exhibited at the New Year Special Exhibition]

A representative Bizen ware potter, he was a member of the Japan Crafts Council Chugoku Branch, the Bizen Ware Tomoyukai, and the Traditional Craftsmen's Association. It is said that he drank one sho of sake a day, and his love of alcohol made him work harder than anyone else to create sake vessels. He studied under Kaneshige Toyo, and under his strict teachings he was able to fully demonstrate his outstanding sense and extraordinary passion for sake vessels, resulting in an overwhelming technique that surpasses all others. This is an outstanding work by the highly popular artist Nakamura Rokuro, who is nicknamed the "god of sake vessels" and has left behind many masterpieces. This is an outstanding sake cup, with the red color of the base, also known as the "scarlet color of the Nakamura family," and the kumadori (the lines of the kiln changes) clearly visible. The scarlet color and black scorch expressed by the dynamic firing, and the vivid scenery of the yellow sesame seeds, show the finest workmanship that can be enjoyed beautifully for a long time.