A warm, quiet vessel where earthy tones and gentle textures meet in serene balance. Description: This tea bowl presents a classic cylindrical form with subtly undulating walls and an irregular rim that rises and falls naturally. The body tapers gently toward a compact foot ring, creating a grounded yet graceful silhouette. Soft depressions mark the surface where the potter's hands shaped the clay. The exterior displays a warm palette ranging from soft salmon pink to muted cream and pale grey. Scattered across the surface are fine pinhole marks and small iron spots, lending the glaze a distinctive, textured character. The coloration shifts organically around the bowl, with paler tones gathering near the rim and richer terracotta hues appearing toward the lower body. The interior reveals a glossy surface with concentric spiral marks from the wheel, finished in reddish-brown tones. The foot ring is left unglazed, exposing the raw reddish-brown clay beneath. The underside shows clear concentric rings and natural kiln marks. Cultural & Art Context: Bizen-Shino represents a distinctive fusion of two celebrated Japanese ceramic traditions: the unglazed, wood-fired stoneware of Bizen and the soft, feldspar-rich glazes of Mino ware. This hybrid technique emerged in the postwar period as studio potters explored new creative possibilities while honoring classical aesthetics. The subtle interplay of warm earth tones and textured surfaces reflects the Japanese appreciation for quiet beauty and natural imperfection. Collector Appeal: Works by artists trained in both Bizen and Mino traditions are seldom encountered outside Japan. This tea bowl, accompanied by its original signed wooden box, cloth wrapper, and printed documentation, offers collectors a well-documented example of this distinctive ceramic style. Artist Profile: Fujiwara Kyosuke was born on May 30, 1939, in Honami, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, as the second son of Fujiwara Kei, a ceramist later designated as a Living National Treasure for Bizen ware. His elder brother, Fujiwara Yu, also became a Living National Treasure. After graduating from Okayama Prefectural Shizutani High School in 1957, Kyosuke trained at the Gifu Prefectural Ceramics Research Institute in Tajimi from 1961 to 1964. In 1965, he established his kiln in Tamas, Okayama City, where he began producing Shino, Oribe, Tenmoku, and Ki-Seto wares, drawing on his Mino training. He developed Bizen-Shino, a distinctive technique combining Bizen clay with Shino-style glazing. This innovation earned him numerous awards, including the Kaneshige Toyo Prize in 1978 and the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Encouragement Award in 1979. He received recognition at the Tanabe Art Museum Tea Ceremony Craft Exhibition in 1984. In 1987, he changed his given name from Kyosuke (恭助) to Keisuke (敬介), retaining the same reading. He continues to work as a studio potter in Okayama. Shipping / Policy: Carefully packaged and shipped from Japan by Japan Post or DHL with tracking. If you purchase multiple items, combined shipping is available. Please contact us if needed. Import duties, VAT (or equivalent consumption tax), and any other fees are the responsibility of the buyer. Guarantee: Our shop is a licensed antiques dealer in Japan. We guarantee the authenticity of this work.