A Beautifully Patched and Assembled Old Apron: Wonderful

early twentieth century
24" x 19", 61 cm x 48.25 cm

This is a beautiful, old boro textile and it would be a valued addition to any existing collection or would be a wonderful piece to start growing a collection.

The arrangement of cotton patches is artful in a way that can only be achieved by happenstance: the base cloth is hand stitched from four pieces and what we see here is a collage of cottons that are pieced over the base.

The colors of the cotton are in the characteristic dark tones which composed most of the clothing in old Japan, and this apron is no doubt stitched from discarded and re-worked kimono.

The placement of patches, the organization of color and tone, the stitching all add up to create a beautiful visual experience and, what's more, this was an every day garment made for work: the beauty we see here is unintentional.

Recommended.