(20TH CENTURY), SIGNED CHIKUBOSAI KORE O TSUKURU [MAEDA CHIKUBOSAI I (1872-1950)]

Maeda Chikubosai I was one of the most important bamboo artists working in the first half of the 20th century. Late in the Taisho era (1912-1926) he made presentation baskets on behalf of the Imperial Household, for which he became famous. Chikubosai held a series of one-man exhibitions at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Tokyo from 1926 until the late 1930s.
Chikubosai wove a series of urn-style baskets like this one with "hemp-leaf" patterned plaiting and wide vertical stays. Sections of hozizontal twining of fine bamboo are worked up the front of the basket in varying width, increasing toward the center of the body and decreasing toward the mouth. This adds texture and movement to the form.