Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Double Black Ikebana with Saffron and Copper
Medium: Original Acrylic on Arches Paper
Paper Size: 30.25" × 22.25"
Frame Size: 33.75" x 25.75" x 2.25"
Year: 2007
Inscription: Signed "Chihuly" on lower front
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity
Studio number: 07.413.d1.
In "Double Black Ikebana with Saffron and Copper", Dale Chihuly distills his fascination with form, color, and gesture into a striking acrylic composition on Arches paper. Painted in 2007, this work features two bold and sculptural black ikebana vessels set against a dark olive green background that deepens the sense of drama and dimensionality. Bright saffron-yellow stems rise from one vessel, while magenta stems extend from the other, their vibrant hues standing in bold contrast to the subdued background and anchoring forms.
The title draws attention to Chihuly's nuanced use of color and material, particularly the interplay between saffron and copper tones. During this period, Chihuly experimented with innovative techniques in his paintings, including the application of metallic pigments to enhance depth, surface variation, and luminosity. These methods echo his glassmaking practice, where light and reflection play a central role in shaping the viewer's experience.
"Double Black Ikebana with Saffron and Copper" is part of Chihuly's broader Ikebana series, which draws inspiration from the Japanese tradition of floral arrangement but reimagines it through abstract form and expressive color. As with much of Chihuly's work on paper, this painting is not a preparatory sketch but a fully realized work that translates his sculptural vocabulary into two dimensions. The result is a composition that feels both immediate and contemplative—an homage to nature, balance, and the transformative power of color.
The work is accompanied by a Gallery Certificate of Authenticity and catalogued under studio number 07.413.d1
About Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly (b. 1941, Tacoma, Washington) is an internationally acclaimed American artist known for revolutionizing the studio glass movement and elevating blown glass from a craft tradition to a respected contemporary art form. Over the course of his career, Chihuly has become synonymous with breathtaking, large-scale glass installations that combine organic form, vivid color, and a remarkable sense of movement and light.
Chihuly began his formal studies in interior design at the University of Washington but soon developed an interest in glassblowing. In 1965, he enrolled in the first glass program in the United States at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he studied under Harvey Littleton, a pioneer of the American studio glass movement. He later earned an M.F.A. in sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he would later establish and teach in the school's glass program.
A Fulbright Fellowship in 1968 allowed Chihuly to work at the renowned Venini glass factory in Murano, Italy. There, he learned the value of teamwork in the glass studio, a philosophy that would become central to his artistic practice. Rather than creating each piece himself, Chihuly developed a collaborative model that allowed him to direct teams of skilled glassblowers, pushing the scale and complexity of his projects far beyond what a single artist could produce alone.
Despite losing sight in one eye in a 1976 car accident and suffering a shoulder injury that limited his ability to blow glass himself, Chihuly continued to oversee and conceptualize all his works, focusing increasingly on installation art. His best-known series include Macchia, Persians, Seaforms, Ikebana, and Chandeliers—each exploring the expressive possibilities of glass through fluid forms, radiant color, and dynamic presentation.
Chihuly's work has been exhibited in major museums and gardens around the world, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the de Young Museum in San Francisco, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. His outdoor installations at sites such as the New York Botanical Garden, Kew Gardens, and the Biltmore Estate have further broadened the reach and accessibility of his art.
In 2002, the artist opened the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum in Seattle, a long-term exhibition space that showcases his glass and drawings against a dramatic backdrop of architecture and natural landscape. This venue has become a major cultural landmark, drawing visitors from around the globe.
Dale Chihuly's impact on contemporary art is profound. By reimagining glass as a sculptural and architectural medium, he has broken down barriers between craft and fine art. His bold vision and commitment to innovation have forever changed the perception of what glass can be, establishing him as one of the most important artists of his generation.
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