Isezaki Jun Japanese, Living National Treasure, 1936

Isezaki Jun, the second son of potter Isezaki Yōzan, is one of the most renowned masters of Bizen pottery, a traditional ware that emerged nearly a thousand years ago in the Inde district of Bizen, Okayama prefecture. He is the fifth artist of Bizen pottery to be designated a Living National Treasure by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. Of significance in Bizen pottery production is the yakishime style glaze - glazes that are the results of natural wood ash and burn-products that occur in the kilns during the firing process. The artist therefore emphasizes the importance of the placement of his works inside the kiln, the firing process bringing out unexpected beauty. 

 

Selected Public Collections
The Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York 
British Museum | London 
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston | Massachusetts, US
Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art | Tokyo 
Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art | Okayama, Japan 
Musée de Sèvres | Sèvres, France 
Canterbury Museum | New Zealand