Jade Blue Celadon Sake Cup

The Song dynasty is said to represent the pinnacle of Chinese ceramics, and even today, masterpieces from this period still exert a fascination on people. Takeshi Imaizumi is a ceramic artist captivated by the universal beauty of celadon and Tenmoku. He has been working diligently to give life to works of art well-honed in both form and glaze.

The gracefully curved rim of this “Jade Blue Celadon Sake Cup” gives the piece a sense of dynamism, while the small raised kodai, or foot, creates a pleasant tension. The glaze, which smoothly covers the surface of the cup like a clear stream, reveals the black clay at the rim, while brightly accentuating like vivid jade inside the cup and around the foot. The intricately layered kan-nyu (crackle) is enhanced by the presence of black sumi ink, creating a depth that invites the viewer to look deeper and deeper into the piece.

The beautiful standing figure is like a single flower, and the artist’s sense of aesthetics can be found in every corner of the piece. It is a work that makes one want to hold on to it for years, appreciating the deepening hues and changes in the kan-nyu crackle over time.