A Length of Akita Shibori: Rustic, Pared-Down Images

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
38 1/4" x 12 3/4", 97 cm x 32.25 cm

This is a length of finely made, lightweight, hand spun, hand woven indigo cotton cloth that was dyed in the shibori method in Akita, a rural area in Japan's Tohoku northeastern region.

Akita shibori is characterized by a dark ground with rustic images, often spare in their design and placement. This one shows an almost-abstract and spirited repeat of butterflies and crossed lines and what appear to be ivy leaves and vines.

The cloth was once used as a yukata that was transformed into a futon cover. As such it shows a bit of wear from use and ingrained creases on the selvedge area. As well there is a patch to the notch that would have been used to tailor the shoulder area of the yukata this piece was taking from. The length is hand stitched from two pieces.

Akita shibori is less often seen than the shibori from Arimatsu, Japan's shibori producing "capital" and for that reason this piece in its good condition and richly designed and executed pattern has a kind of collectible desirability.

Recommended.