Iizuka Kōkansai, "Seiryū" smoked bamboo hanakago

Smoked bamboo flower basket by Iizuka Kōkansai (1919-2004), of slender cylindrical shape, with a powerfully woven handle. The work is distinguished by the sobriety of its construction and the extraordinary quality of its weaving, where the smoked bamboo strips create an openwork network of great regularity. The seemingly simple form is, in reality, based on a very sure mastery of tensions, transitions, and fastenings, which give the whole its silent strength.

The smoked bamboo offers a range of deep and nuanced browns, which animate the surface without breaking the unity of the piece. The body of the basket, tall and slightly constricted, is rhythmically woven with an open geometric pattern that allows light to circulate. The handle, made of several solidly twisted and joined strands, is one of the most remarkable features of the work. It not only fulfills a practical function but also asserts the vertical impetus of the piece and gives it an almost sculptural presence.

The inscription Seiryū – "Clear Stream" – is particularly well suited to this work. It suggests an idea of flow, purity, and continuity, in harmony with the visual suppleness of the weaving and the peaceful verticality of the basket. The signature Kōsai-saku is engraved on a bamboo slat extending to the body of the work. The basket is accompanied by its matching tomobako and a black lacquered bamboo interior. A small split in one bamboo strand should be noted.

Iizuka Kōkansai, the second son of Iizuka Rōkansai, is considered one of the greatest masters of post-war Japanese bamboo art. A graduate of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, he then studied with his father and dedicated himself fully to the art of bamboo. Selected for the Nitten in 1947, he exhibited there regularly. In 1950, he adopted the name Kōkansai and received numerous distinctions. In 1982, he was designated a Living National Treasure for his exceptional craftsmanship and his innovative approach to bamboo work. His work is recognized for the rare balance it achieves between rigor, dignity, and elegance.

This hanakago perfectly illustrates this major position. It seeks neither demonstrative effect nor gratuitous complication. Everything in it is restrained, precise, measured. The beauty of the work lies in the quality of the material, the intelligence of the weaving, and the impression of calm that emanates from the form.

Dimensions: 17 × 16 cm; height approx. 35.5 cm.