A Tall and Beautifully Patched Katazome Boro Cloth: Two Panels

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
66" x 25 1/2", 167.5 cm x 65 cm

In order to appreciate the fairly large size of this piece please note the dimensions listed above: when seen in person this piece has real presence.

It is two panels from an indigo katazome dyed futon cover, the fairly large-scale repeat pattern shows a design of cranes and noshi. The indigo has a bluish-grey tone.

Cranes are wonderfully rich in symbolism as they suggest marital fidelity (cranes mate for life) and they also symbolize a wish for longevity. Noshi is an auspicious design that is fairly general in its conveyance of good things--fortune, happiness, good luck--to the owner of the cloth.

The tall and impressive textile shows a smattering of deeply toned indigo dyed cotton patches of varying sizes and, in addition, there about five smallish holes throughout the piece, some of them shown here in detail photos.

The size of the cloth, its nicely-sized and meaningful pattern and its many patches all fall together to form a very attractive old Japanese folk textile.

Recommended.