Sake cup (guinomi) c. late 20th century

Eiraku Zengorō XVI made this sake cup—or guinomi—sometime in the 20th century. It’s funny, isn’t it? A cup is already a vessel, something to be filled. It’s a surface, and that’s where the painting starts. I can imagine Zengorō carefully painting those stylized leaves and delicate fronds around the outside. Pottery like this is so tactile, and the hand of the artist is right there in every detail, in the glaze, in the painting. It feels like such an intimate act. The dark outlines create such a contrast with the pale green background. It’s like a conversation between light and shadow, a dance between control and spontaneity. And, the gesture of each brushstroke is so precise and deliberate. You can see Zengorō’s intention in every mark. He's talking to us in a language of form, and as we look at the cup, we can almost hear his voice. I imagine him working in his studio, surrounded by the tools of his trade, adding his own voice to the chorus of artists who came before and those who will follow after.