Otani Shiro | Sake Bottle

Otani Shiro grew up in the pottery town of Shigaraki, where he worked decorating commercial pots for much of his youth. He moved to Kyoto to study ceramics with Kyomizu Kyubei (1922-2006) an Shimizu Uichi (1926-2004). In 1973 he returned to Shigaraki and built his own kiln, devoting himself to working in the characteristic local clay, which is rough and speckled with quartz particles that burst in the firing process. In the ash and flame of the wood-fired kiln, Shigaraki clay is transformed into mottled shades of pink, rust, and brown, with occasional traces of transparent olive-green glaze. Otani has won national and international appreciation for his modern interpretations of tea wares in this challenging material.
 
Otani Shiro (1936-)
Sake Flask 
Glazed ceramic (Shigaraki)
H: 13.2 cm (5 1/4 in) / D: 9 cm (3 1/2 in)
Original box with inscription: Shigaraki sake bottle (shigaraki tokkuri), signed and sealed by Otani Shiro.