8 Pg Reprint.qxd - Flying Cranes Antiques

A S R EPRINTED
AND
T RANSLATED F ROM
Memphis
Villa Borghese
Castellani en Giuliano
Lion Cachet
Michael Raedecker
SPECIAL BIJ KUNST & ANTIEK JOURNAAL
DECEMBER 2006/ NR.3
OBJECTS OF GREAT SOPHISTICATION AND BEAUTY
Bamboo baskets for ikebana flower arrangements
Japanese bamboo baskets have become collectors’ items but cannot be fully appreciated if you do not know about
their original function. They represent a form of art whose aim it was to emphasize the beauty of the flower
arrangement. And it is these very flowers which in return emphasize the beauty of the baskets.
Ikebana, the art of flower arrangement, had its origins in
the 6th century when Indian Buddhism was introduced to
Japan. Decorating the altar with flowers was part of the
Buddhist ritual. Originally this decoration consisted of
strewing flowers or flower leaves over the altar as in
India. By the 10th century the Japanese were making
their offerings of flowers in vases or bowls. Arranging
the flowers was the work of the temple priests and therefore it was quite natural that the first schools for ikebana
were led by priests.
Strict rules
Ikebana eventually became an aristocratic pastime; In the
Kamakura period (1192-1333) ikebana was discovered as
such by the Samurai classes which took over the political
power from the aristocracy.
Ikebana became a form of art. Then, later in the 15th century, it became something akin to a social event. Members
of the higher social classes met and admired each others’
flower arrangements while listening to music. The arrang-
ing of flowers was subjected to strict rules. These rules
were constantly being refined or changed.
And finally, in the middle of the 16th century, they were
compiled in a manual for ikebana. The Momoyama period
(1573-1615) was the Japanese baroque age. In this short
period the ruling Ashikaga family was overthrown and the
last battles were fought to unite the whole of Japan. The
great leader was Toyotomo Hideyoshi. He ordered the
building of castles, furnishing them with great luxury to
show the power and wealth of the new rulers. Enormous
flower arrangements were not only offered to Buddha but
also served as decoration for one’s house or castle.
Splendour and simplicity
In the above mentioned period there was also a change in
architectural style which brought about the breakthrough of
the ikebana that we know today. The religious corner in the
traditional house was replaced by a niche, the tokonoma,
which was decorated in quite a worldly manner. This niche
was generally in the living-room where guests were
received and special occasions were
celebrated. The niche was decorated
with paintings and flower arrangements,
sometimes even with an incense holder
and a decorative statue. The objects in
the tokonoma had to be in harmony
with the time of the season and the
nature of the intended ceremony.
It was also in the Momoyama period
that the chanoyu (tea made of tea powder) tea ceremony was introduced.
Chanoyu was another important influence on the development of ikebana.
Three bamboo ikebana baskets, from left to right:
A wide ikebana basket with wrapped handle and thick
slats of bamboo loosely woven in hemp - leaf design.
Height: 14.25"; dia.: 13.25". Waichisai III signature with
tomobako and papers. Taisho/early Showa Period, Japan.
A rare wall vase in the form of a cicada, the body a
root section of timber bamboo and the wings woven
of smoked bamboo. Height: 11.25"; width: 6". Signed
Suiko tsukuru, tomobako inscribed:“Cicada Hanging Vase
made by Suiko”. Taisho/early Showa, Japan.
An open-work ikebana basket entitled “Chidori” woven
in hexagonal weave with triple reed handle, butterfly and
interlocking V-knots. Height: 15.5". Maeda Chikubosai I
signature, tomobako dated Showa 10 Summer (1935).
Massive globular ikebana basket of diagonal weave with roped bamboo woven throughout body and handle. Height: 22"; dia.: 17.5". Yufu Masataka signature. Heisei Period, Japan.
Initially these tea ceremonies took
place in the living-room of the house.
For the tokonoma, objects were chosen
which reflected the wealth, the social
status and the taste of the host. The
flower arrangements were of great
splendour. As a reaction to the extravagancies of the ruling classes, the tea
ceremonies were more and more influenced by Zen Buddhism. Emphasis was
placed on the tranquility and simplicity
of the surroundings. The ceremonies
moved from the private house to special
tea houses of great modesty. The room
in which tea was prepared and drunk
had to be quiet and of great simplicity,
the only decoration being a flower
arrangement, a painting and the objects
necessary for the actual tea ceremony.
The type of ikebana used here, the socalled chabana, followed strict rules of
simple design and was in sharp contrast to the splendour of Momoyama
arrangements.
New Design
Ikebana had already lost part of its
religious significance before the Edoperiod (1600 - 1868). It had become
more profane, a means of decoration.
But it kept its symbolic and philosophical character nevertheless.
In the Edo period there were developments which brought about changes
in the tea ceremony and thus also in
ikebana. The merchant classes had
become an economic power. Tea ceremonies and ikebana became a
favourite pastime of the merchant
class which saw in it the means of
expressing its wealth. New schools
for tea ceremonies and ikebana were
founded with new designs and
philosophies which aimed at the taste
of the members of the merchant class.
In the 17th century a new form of tea
ceremony was developed in Nagasaki
and found its way into Japanese society.
As in China, tea was now brewed from
green tea leaves (sencha). With this
sort of tea, Chinese baskets were
introduced to Japan. At the end of the
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Edo-period ikebana schools were open to everybody
who could financially afford them. With the increasing
interest of new social groups in ikebana, many new
designs and schools developed.
Ikebana Baskets
Making bamboo baskets is a very old craft. Bamboo
grows everywhere in Japan in great quantities and
varieties. It grows quickly and is ready to be harvested
within two years. It is very strong and hard, as well as
being water and heat resistant. Therefore bamboo has
always been used for the production of a great variety
of everyday objects in the house and in the countryside. The use of bamboo for ikebana was quite a
natural development.
In the Muromachi period (1392-1568) the first baskets
were imported from China. These elegant baskets had
a symmetrical structure and tightly plaited weaves.
Initially the Japanese basket makers copied these
Chinese examples. Later they developed their own
Japanese style. These baskets were not primarily
intended for flower arrangements. According to
legend, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490) was
the first to use a basket for flower arrangements. He
probably used a Chinese basket or a Japanese basket
made in the Chinese style.
The noted tea master Sen no Rikyû (1521-1591)
advanced the ritualized Japanese form of the chanoyu
tea ceremony which was in sharp contrast to the splendour of the Momoyama period. Departing from the Zen
Buddhist principle, he put emphasis on the aesthetic
rooted in simplicity and serenity. Under his influence
the ikebana basket design changed. It no longer imitated the refined Chinese examples. Wide slats of bamboo
were used for weaving. The technique is characterized
by a looser, irregular weave, thus giving the impression
of spontaneity. This less formal and rustic aesthetic
aimed at emphasizing the beauty of the flowers.
Refined Taste
Through trade with China during the Edo period a new
tea ceremony was introduced into Japan, the sencha.
This led to a new demand for Chinese style flower baskets. These baskets served as an inspiration for a new
generation of very refined ikebana baskets. With
Chanoyu, bamboo baskets for ikebana were only
allowed in the warm months (April/May to October),
whereas the sencha ceremony allowed them to be used
Left Page: A double-walled peony basket with large loop handle and intricate
knotting on the sides. Height: 23.5". Edo Period, Japan. (For similar work,
see p. 66, Japanese Bamboo Baskets: Masterworks of Form & Texture from the
Collection of Lloyd Cotsen.)
A six-sided ikebana basket with panels of geometric design separated by openwork.
Height: 12.75". Waichisai I signature, with tomobako. Meiji Period.
“Our customers are always astonished at
the fact that these baskets never seem
to be the same. The changing light during
the day and in the evenings plays with
form and material. They seem to be living
sculptures.” Jean Schaefer
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the whole year round. The demand for ikebana baskets
increased significantly. Sencha and the refined taste of
the merchant classes encouraged a new development in
the design of ikebana baskets. Symmetrical structures
were in demand, thin bamboo strips were used and new
weaving techniques developed. The basket makers
began to sign their baskets. The first basket maker who
consistently signed his works was Hayakawa Shokosai I
(1815-1897). This shows a change in how the basket
makers saw themselves. They were no longer mere
craftsmen who reproduced Chinese examples. They had
now become artists who expressed themselves freely in
form and technique. They created works of art.
Increasing Interest
With the modernization of Japan and its opening to the
West during the Meiji period (1868-1912), the Japanese
basket makers began to exhibit their craftsmanship
at national and international exhibitions. Interest in
ikebana baskets increased and so did production. The
Meiji government encouraged the education of women.
The curriculum of their education to become a good
housewife and mother also included the art of ikebana.
Thus ikebana schools were further propagated and the
use of baskets became even more popular. The wide use
of ikebana baskets is a later development. Therefore
most baskets date from the Meiji period (1868-1912)
and later. Various social developments in the Edo and
Meiji period led to an increasing importance of ikebana
baskets. New designs co-existed with the traditional
styles. The resulting variety makes collecting these
baskets so exciting. In the 20th century basket making
has become a form of art which demands great craftsmanship and great perfection in the choice of the
material and the technique. Basket makers today still
produce traditional designs, especially if they produce
on demand. But on the other hand they also create their
own design and produce unique works of art. The basket
is no longer just there to enhance the beauty of the
flowers but has an aesthetic value in itself.
Left Page: Three baskets, from left to right:
A modified baluster-shaped ikebana basket with square base, wide lip and high,
rounded handle. Height: 19". Suemura Shobun signature.
A tall, ovoid-form ikebana basket of open, hexagonal weave with rounded handle
bound with double-V knots. Height: 22.5". Tanabe Chikuunsai I signature with
tomobako. Late Meiji/early Taisho Period, Japan.
A globular basket on wrapped pedestal base with rounded loop handle insect
stitching and butterfly knots. Height: 17". Tanabe Chikuunsai I signature with
tomobako. Late Meiji/early Taisho Period.
Right Photo: A rare ikebana basket completely armored with split bamboo
arrows, their feathers intact.The free-form handle of bamboo root. Height: 22".
Maeda Chikubosai I signature, with tomobako. Taisho/Showa Period.
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Flying Cranes New York
The Japanese symbol of eternal love
is represented by two cranes. Thirty
years ago the collectors Clifford and
Jean Schaefer decided to transform
their love for Japanese art from hobby
to profession. “People want to be surrounded by beauty and the art dealer
who only deals with top quality pieces
will always find customers.”
Based in New York in the Manhattan
Arts & Antiques Centre, the Flying
Cranes Gallery has become the leading dealer in Japanese art of the Meiji
period (1859-1912). Many pieces of
art that you can see in museums and in
private collections today have gone
through their hands. The gallery is also
known for its extensive collection of
Japanese weapons.
Jean and Clifford Schaefer
Principals of Flying Cranes Antiques, Ltd.
FLYING
CRANES
ANTIQUES
LTD
Antique Arts of Japan
1050 SECOND AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10022 • GALLERIES 55, 56 & 58
TEL: 212.223.4600 • FAX: 212.223.4601 • www.FlyingCranesAntiques.com • E-Mail: flyingcranes@verizon.net