勝城蒼鳳造 「起耕」花籃|Turned Soil Flower Basket (Hanakago)

Katsushiro Sōhō

1999 · Nemagari bamboo, lacquer · Asian Art

Growing up on a farm, Katsushiro Sōhō watched his father produce simple baskets for the local people during the winter months. He later lived with the bamboo craftsman Kikuchi Yoshii (active mid-twentieth century), who taught him the basics of basketry, before studying with Yagisawa Keizō (1927–2006), an acknowledged bamboo artisan. Sōhō supported himself by taking on agricultural work while producing commercial flower vases and brooches. He first gained recognition for his work in 1966, when one of his flower baskets won an award at the Tochigi Art Festival. After receiving several awards at the Japanese Traditional Art Crafts Exhibitions, he was honored with the title of Living National Treasure in 2005.

Artist

Katsushiro Sōhō

Date

1999

Medium

Nemagari bamboo, lacquer

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Diane and Arthur Abbey, 2019