Dale Chihuly Cobalt Blue Basket with Cadmium Red Lip Wrap Glass Sculpture

Aritst: Dale Chihuly
Title: Cobalt Blue Macchia Basket with Cadmium Red Lip Wrap, 1994
Medium: Hand-blown Glass
Size: 8 1/2" x 9 1/2" x 9"
Edition: Portland Press 1994
Inscription: Signed by the artist
Documentation: Certificate of Authenticity included

With each of his series, Dale Chihuly broke new ground, reinventing and revitalizing the art of glass blowing. First conceived in the 1970s, the Baskets series is often referred to as the most innovative body of work he has ever done.

After a visit to the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, Chihuly was deeply affected by the sagging forms of traditional Northwest Indian baskets that were collapsing under their own weight. Intuitively grasping the power residing in such functional objects, the artist decided to arrest their elegance in the glass. Recognizing heat and gravity as the main tools to recreate these misshapen forms, he liberated the glassblowing process from the restrictions of symmetry. The result was delicate glass vessels of remarkable thinness and lyrical undulating shapes.

Created in 1994, Cobalt Blue Macchia Basket with Cadmium Red Lip Wrap is the first piece in the Studio Edition series. Perfectly capturing the organic form and effortless presence of the woven Indian baskets, it is imbued with a distinct grace and beauty. Executed in translucent cobalt blue glass, it is adorned with speckles of darker blue and black, resembling the technique used in his Macchia series. The opening of the vessel is outlined with a contrasting, red lip-wrap, highlighting the fine undulation of the work. Airy and refined, this piece is a testament to Chihuly’s astounding ingenuity and artistry.

Dale Chihuly's 1994 Portland Press Edition Cobalt Blue Macchia Basket with Cadmium Red Lip Wrap is signed by the artist and comes with 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.