This one-of-a-kind basket was created by Abe Motoshi to facilitate ikebana flower arrangements. It was formed using a bamboo twill plaiting technique on the base and Motoshi’s signature wave-patterned openwork—twining, wrapping, and knotting—on the body. The incised signature on the bottom reads Kiraku.
A pupil of the famous Japanese basketmaker Shono Shounsai, Abe Motoshi is best known for his wave-patterned openwork twining. He adopted the artist name Kiraku in 2003. His work can be found in many public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.
