Dale Chihuly Coral Basket Signed 1998 Portland Press Handblown Glass

Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Coral Basket
Medium: Handblown Glass
Size: 9" x 9" x 9"
Inscription: Inscribed on bottom "Chihuly PP98" for Portland Press 1998
Year: 1998
Documentation: Includes gallery certificate of authenticity

"Coral Basket" (1998) is a refined example of Dale Chihuly's influential Basket series, a body of work that occupies a central position within the artist's modern era and his ongoing redefinition of glass as a sculptural medium. While the Basket series originated earlier in Chihuly's career, works from the late 1990s reflect a mature synthesis of his technical expertise and conceptual clarity, demonstrating sustained innovation rather than experimentation.

The Basket series challenged conventional expectations of glassmaking through its deliberate embrace of asymmetry, fluidity, and organic structure. Rather than emphasizing symmetry or functional precision, Chihuly allowed molten glass to respond to gravity and movement, resulting in forms that appear naturally evolved. In "Coral Basket," this approach yields a vessel-like form measuring 9 by 9 by 9 inches, with gently shifting contours that convey both tension and balance.

Color is a defining element of the composition. The coral hues are fully saturated and subtly layered, revealing Chihuly's exceptional command of chromatic depth within translucent glass. Light interacts with the surface and interior of the form, enhancing tonal variation and lending the sculpture a sense of luminosity and spatial presence. The restrained palette and clean silhouette underscore the minimalist elegance that distinguishes the Basket series within Chihuly's broader body of work.

Inscribed on the underside "Chihuly PP98", indicating Portland Press 1998, "Coral Basket" is a documented example of the artist's studio practice during a period of sustained production and refinement. Accompanied by a gallery certificate of authenticity, the work stands as a significant representation of Chihuly's modern output, reflecting his enduring exploration of form, color, and the expressive possibilities of handblown glass.

About Dale Chihuly

Dale Chihuly is an American artist internationally recognized for transforming the medium of glass into a central force within contemporary art. Born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1941, Chihuly studied interior design at the University of Washington before earning a Master of Science in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He later completed a Master of Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he went on to establish the school's influential glass program. Chihuly also studied glassblowing in Venice, an experience that shaped his understanding of collaborative studio practice and large-scale production.

Chihuly is best known for his large, sculptural glass installations that emphasize color, scale, and organic form. His work frequently draws inspiration from nature, including marine life, botanical structures, and geological formations. Through series such as the Persians, Seaforms, Chandeliers, Ikebana, and Macchia, Chihuly expanded the expressive possibilities of glass, moving it beyond functional craft toward monumental, immersive environments. His use of saturated color, asymmetrical form, and dynamic composition challenged traditional notions of glass as a decorative medium.

Due to a physical injury in the late 1970s that limited his ability to blow glass directly, Chihuly adopted a collaborative working method, directing teams of skilled artisans. This approach aligns his practice with historical workshop traditions and emphasizes conceptual authorship over individual execution. In addition to glass sculpture, Chihuly has produced drawings, paintings, and prints that serve as both independent works and conceptual foundations for his glass installations.

Chihuly's work has been exhibited extensively in major museums and public spaces worldwide, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. His large-scale outdoor installations have appeared in botanical gardens and architectural settings, further broadening public engagement with contemporary glass art.

Dale Chihuly's impact on contemporary art lies in his redefinition of glass as a primary sculptural medium. His innovative use of color, form, and collaborative production has secured his position as one of the most influential artists working in glass in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.