Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Buttercup Yellow Persian with Blood Red Lip Wrap
Size: 9 1/2" x 12" x 10"
Inscription: Signed on Bottom
Year: 1997
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity
Exhibited for the first time in Dale Chihuly's 1986 solo exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs of the Palais du Louvre in Paris, the Persians were described in the exhibition catalogue as "new possibilities from the blowpipe". At the time of the Louvre show, the series was still untitled. Inspired by objects of antiquity like small bottles and vessels, Chihuly described the first Persians as "archeological" treasures. As time went on, the Persians evolved consistent with Chihuly’s evolving personal aesthetic - exploring the relationship between opacity and translucency through their striped body wraps and pushing the boundaries of color with the saturated hues and contrasting lip wrap.
Dale Chihuly's Buttercup Yellow Persian with Red Lip Wrap is the Quintessential Persian - a flowerlike form resting on a ball foot with gently fluted edges and fine lines that spiral precariously around the body. Rendered in a vibrant yellow with a bold red lip wrap, this 1997 example finsihed with the more ornate detailing that is a singature of this series. Chihuly's Buttercup Yellow Persian with Red Lip Wrap is signed "Chihuly" on the bottom and includes a gallery certificate of authenticity.
About Dale Chihuly
One of the most famous contemporary glass artists in the world, Dale Chihuly is best known for his monumental sculptures and installations. He is the name behind the spectacular ceiling at the Bellagio’s flower garden in Las Vegas and the creator of the Rotunda Chandelier at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Glass works of Dale Chihuly are considered some of the most desired collectibles between the decorative arts devotees today.
Despite his initial indifference towards education, Chihuly has spent a lot of time in school, obtaining both scientific and artistic degree in sculpture from prestigious graduate schools. He displayed a proclivity for interior design and craft early on, but his true passion was always in the glass. He was a Fulbright Fellow in the late 1960s and an apprentice at the Venini Glass Factory in Venice. Mastering the art of Murano glasswork, he continued the experiments with glassblowing and thus became one of the people who brought the ancient art of glassblowing back into the spotlight on an international scale.
Monumental and small-scale artwork of Dale Chihuly is present in over 200 most renowned decorative art collections today, while the artist holds twelve honorary doctorates!
The most illustrious series in his work are Cylinders and Baskets he created in the 1970s; Macchia, Venetians, and Persians from the 1980s, Niijima Floats and Chandeliers created in the 1990s; and a more recent one, Fiori from the 2000s.
For over 30 years, Dale Chihuly has been acting as an artistic director of his team of craftsmen, since he was incapacitated in two accidents, which left him blind in one eye and incapable of holding the blowing tube. This change allowed him to see the possibilities of glass work on a broader scale, while still maintaining his recognizable style.