Wada Waichisai II / 二代和田和一斎

1877-1933

Flower Basket

25 x 17 x 16 cm

9.8 x 6.7 x 6.3 in

Original box signed and sealed by Waichisai II

Original  lacquered water container

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This flower basket is simple natural, as unpretentious a basket as could be made by an artist as skilled as Waichisai II. Such humility is often found in Japanese bamboo art, as the great masters continually demonstrate their respect and even love for the natural material, its inherent beauty and potential for transformation.

 

Here, Waichisai II uses a lovely honey colored aged madake, the coarsely-woven pattern at basket's bottom, gradually shifting through middle to the vertical, and finally blending into a bundled, broad-patterned looping rim. The overall feel is a basket composed from movement; from life itself rather than inert material.