Fruit Basket c. mid 20th century

This delicate basket, a labor of love made by Fukuda Chikuyūsai sometime in the 20th century, now resides at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's hard to imagine the patience and precision required to weave this object from bamboo. I think about how the artist began, the kind of meditative state he must have been in, handling the pliable yet firm material, how he might be thinking of a long tradition of Japanese craftsmanship. It’s a humble object, but so beautifully crafted. I can imagine the artist thinking about utility and tradition in the making, creating something new through an ancient process. The basket has a lovely brown color and a subtle geometry to it that would have certainly been a source of inspiration for the artist. What a gift to be able to make such things with your hands! It reminds us that the history of art is also the history of craft.