Japanese Bamboo Basket Ikebana Suzuki Gengensai

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An elegantly woven bamboo basket with handle as an ikenana container by Suzuki Gengensai (1891-1950) circa 1923-50. Suzuki Gengensai was … Read more An elegantly woven bamboo basket with handle as an ikenana container by Suzuki Gengensai (1891-1950) circa 1923-50. Suzuki Gengensai was from Kansai region and active in Osaka. He studied bamboo art under Yamashita Kochikusai (1876-1947) and became an independent artist in 1913. He received his artist name Gengensai in 1914 and in 1923 he changed the characters to Gen, a slight written variation of the character. This basket was signed in this later variation, which helps to date the piece to post 1923.
The basket is woven entirely in a free style irregular plating on the body and with a twisted bundled handle. The surface is lacquered in a deep reddish color. The seemingly less rigid technique renders the piece a more rustic and natural aesthetic that is more suitable for certain occasions. It is singed on the base with artist's signature in the variation post 1923.
A very similar basket of the irregular weaving but without the handle is illustrated in plate 72 in "Baskets Masterpieces of Japanese Bamboo Art 1850-2015". See less