23638 Kitaoji Rosanjin (Eshino Cup [Kuroda Satoshi])

Height 5.2 cm Height 5.7 cm

Praised as an artist who would never be promoted, he displayed his extraordinary talents not only in ceramics but also in seal carving, lacquerware, calligraphy, and other fields. This work was created by Kitaoji Rosanjin, a great master of all arts who left behind many masterpieces and legends.

The Shino ware that the artist continued to create from his early days as a potter until his final years gradually became redder, going from the milky white with a slight scarlet hue at first, to works with a beautiful contrast between red and white, a dramatic transformation that could be described as a final product. When he first started working on Shino ware, he used the white moxa clay generally used for Shino ware, but because this clay has many disadvantages for practical vessels for serving food, he began to use the fine, fine red clay from Shigaraki. As a result, the Shino ware that Rosanjin created gradually became reddish, and he did not miss this coincidence. In pursuit of a more intense red color that resembles dancing flames, he conducted extensive research and succeeded in creating a new method to create a "Shino" that had never been seen before. This work is one of the most popular Shino wares by the artist, and displays the vivid red color that is characteristic of the artist. This piece is a perfect blend of the shape of a potter well versed in the classics and the scarlet color of an artist who has also mastered calligraphy and painting. It is not a simple imitation of Momoyama Shino, but a piece with a beautiful presence that was developed with the gaze of a gourmet. The piece itself is clean and the scarlet color is clear.