ALEXCIOUS

A sakenomi (Sake Cup) with the delightful rustic appeal of a bygone era

Painting a bunny gazing at the moon on the inside and finishing these lovely pieces in cinnabar red on the outside, Miyagawa Kozai, the 6th generation head of Kyoto’s celebrated Makuzu kiln, creates each sakenomi (sake cup) by hand using techniques perfected by the legendary master, Miyagawa Kozan*. (Offered in a bespoke wooden presentation box of Japanese paulownia.)

*Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan

The astonishingly versatile and accomplished Meiji potter, Makuzu Kozan (1842 - 1916), is acclaimed as one of the greatest ceramic artists of the Meiji period (1868-1912). After the opening of Japan to the West in the mid-nineteenth century, the Meiji period was a time of tumultuous change for Japanese society. Makuzu-yaki’s shift from its origins in a traditional workshop in Kyoto to maturity in a prolific factory in the newly opened port of Yokohama, is part of the story. Kozan's ability to cater to the demands of a new Western export market and to incorporate new Western glaze techniques led to enormous success, both in Japan and abroad. Accolade after accolade followed the appearance of his work at international exhibitions including Expos in Paris and Sydney, and World Expos in both Philadelphia and St. Louis. The legendary master was appointed an artist to the Japanese Imperial household in 1882; the absolute pinnacle of the world of pottery at the time.