25680 Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi (Iron Painting Sake Cup) SHIMIZU Uichi

Height 4.5cm Diameter 6.7cm

He studied Chinese pottery under Ishiguro Munemaro, a Living National Treasure for "Iron-glazed Pottery." After serving as an apprentice at the National Kyoto Ceramic Testing Center, he served as an assistant in the Ceramics Department at the Kyoto Municipal Industrial Research Institute. He then devoted himself to pottery, mainly in his home pottery studio, and was recognized as a Living National Treasure for "Iron-glazed Pottery" at the young age of 59, the youngest person ever to be recognized as such at the time. This is the finest work by Shimizu Uichi, a world-renowned potter who continued to work actively in his later years, moving his pottery studio to the foot of Mount Horai in Kosai, Shiga Prefecture. This work was created at Horai Kiln, built at the foot of Mount Horai, surrounded by abundant nature, and it is clear that this work was a special piece to Shimizu Uichi, as his name was passed down on to his works.