A Resist Dyed Handwoven Cotton Furoshiki: Over Dyed Indigo
early twentieth century
58" x 49 1/4", 147.5 cm x 122.5 cm
This is a good-sized, resist dyed cotton furoshiki, a furoshiki being a traditional Japanese cloth used for carrying, storing and hauling of goods. Furoshiki are still widely used in Japan today.
The green color of this furoshiki was achieved by over dyeing indigo with a yellow dye and evidence of this can be seen in the detail photos here where there is a slight, yellowish "halo" between the green and the white, undyed areas.
The furoshiki is hand stitched from four panels of hand spun, hand woven cotton of good weight. On the bottom right hand corner we see a family crest called meyui in Japanese, the stylized image being a reference to shibori dyed cloth, or tie dye. On the upper left hand corner we see a group of four Chinese characters called kanji in Japanese.
The green tone is deep and velvety and the cloth itself is in good, used condition with a few scuffs and small areas of fading. The hand spun, hand woven cotton is of good weight.
This is a good example of an every day furoshiki that was once owned either by a family or a family business.
