Wicker baskets surround the craftsmen at the Festival of Folk Arts in Budapest, 2012.
Photo by James Deutsch, Smithsonian Institution
Wickerwork has existed for centuries in Hungary, primarily to produce baskets, trays, stands, and holders of various types. Made by weaving together split rods of willow, wickerwork is so durable and strong that it sometimes replaces wood in furniture making and can support the weight of a human body. Master craftspersons pride themselves on the fact that no two examples of wickerwork are ever identical.
