A Length of Blue and Orange Katazome Cotton: Bold Pattern

late nineteenth century
36" x 13", 91.5 cm x 33 cm

This is a richly patterned length of indigo dyed cotton katazome cloth that has been highlighted with selected areas of bengara or an iron oxide derived pigment dye.

The design is based on hexagons--a suggestion of the tortoiseshell or a symbol of long life--inside of which are stylized chrysanthemums. Cross-like designs composed of (possibly wisteria) leaves float in the background, some of them disappearing "behind" the hexagons in a spatially-illusionistic way.

The indigo is strong and deep in color and the cloth seems to be lightly used, if at all.

This is a handsome and fairly unusual design and one with a good deal of visual interest and age.