A Length of Indigo Dyed Katazome: Inventive Plum Blossoms and Hand Spun Cotton

late nineteenth century
25" x 12 1/2", 63.5 cm x 31.5 cm

The light-to-mid-toned, clear indigo blue of this length of hand spun, hand woven cotton is so pure that it is hard to capture in photographs.

The pure, unsaturated blue tone is enhanced by the hand spun cotton yarns that provide its support. These hand spun cotton yarns create what the Japanese call ito aji or thread flavor, a characteristic that is desirable when collecting old folk textiles.

The pattern is complex and playful.

We see stylized plum blossoms that contain a grid of wisteria leaves  and abstracted pine trees that contain hexagons (tortoise shell) and chrysanthemums.

Pine is a symbol conveying a wish for a long life as is the tortoise shell motif. Plum blossoms symbolize courage as their blooms are the first to push through winter's frost.

The ground shows a field of sparely-placed stepped squares and plum blossoms. 

This length has great age and with that comes a kind of desirability. In good, used condition.