Japan, hanakago by Kosuge Kogetsu, circa 1970

Large hanakago, basket for flower arrangment by master Kosuge Kogetsu.

Born in 1932, Kosuge is the son of Kosuge Chikudo, a well-known bamboo artist in Sado.
As a boy, he spent many hours in his father's studio learning bamboo basketry.

Kosuge studied tea ceremony and created baskets that expressed his earnest, charismatic personality.

Among his prestigious awards are the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Prize at Japan's Flower and Tea Ware Art Exhibition and the Niigata Nippo Prize at the 16th Prefectual Art Exhibition.

In 1972, the Niigata Governor commissioned the artist to create a basket as a gift to the Emperor of Japan and six years later he became a full member of the Japan Craft Art Association.

Despite this recognition, in the 1970s he rejected Japan's rigid system of public exhibitions in favor of working for himself. He became independent to focus on making baskets that would please tea masters and his clients.
He died in 2017.

He made several solo exhibitions, including some in the United States. His work was also seen in group exhibitions like The Quiet Beauty of Japanese Art, Chicago Cultural Center, IL , 2017
Masterpieces of Japanese Art, Tai Modern at Joan Mirviss Gallery, New York, NY

Museum Collections
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA

48x 20x 17cm.
Japan, circa 1970