A Pair of Reverisble Edo Komon Silk Pieces: Stitched Chirimen
$35.00 USD
ca. mid nineteenth century
each: 36" x 12 1/2", 91.5 cm x 31.5 cm
This is a pair of chirimen or crepe silk fragments, each of which is composed of hand stitched pieces, about 9 separate pieces in total.
The pattern on the pieces is what is referred to as Edo komon, or a minuscule all-over pattern from the Edo period (1603-1868)
This incredibly small pattern is the result of an arduous resist dye technique called katazome.
Rice paste is 'squeegeed' through an intricately cut stencil about 8"
x 10" directly onto the fabric and this stencil is moved down the
length of the fabric. The areas of cloth with the applied rice paste
will resist dye and will remain undyed.
What is unusual about this pair of fragments is that they are dyed on both sides, each of the two sides showing a different pattern.
A lovely pair of old silks.
