A Length of Large-Scale Katazome Dyed Cotton: Shippo Tsunagi

early twentieth century
40" x 13 1/4", 101.5 cm x 33.5 cm

This is a length of katazome or stencil resist dyed cotton. It is dyed in indigo.

The somewhat overall faded design is clear and assured because the cloth was stenciled on its two sides--front and back--in order to create a pattern of crisp white images.

The image is that of shippo tsunagi or a traditional motif of interlocking circles: as this panel was taken from a futon cover that would have included several of these panels stitched together it would be assumed that the patterns would be aligned to see an entire field of unbroken interlocking circles.

Inside each of the circles we see a diamond flower.

This particular rendition of shippo tsunagi is elaborately rendered with a good deal of detail and finessing of the traditional pattern.

The cotton is fairly lightweight, probably not from hand spun yarns, and the condition is used with some areas of wear and comprehensive light fading.

Just beautiful.