A Large Central Fragment from a Maku or Curtain: Meiji 29 or 1896

Meiji 29 or 1896
64" x 59", 162.5 cm x 149.9 cm

This tsutsugaki dyed, very large hemp or ramie cloth is made of three panels of fabric that are hand stitched together in a horizontal orientation. The cloth shows an oversized family crest that seems to be a variation on hoshi or stylized stars.

The reason the exact date of this cloth is known is that it was acquired as three different pieces. On one of the two pieces that would have originally flanked this one here, the date is noted as Meiji 29 or as 1896.

The top of the cloth has an embedded rope in it which means this was a maku which is a curtain or bunting that would have hung in public outside a building. 

The maku was well used as it shows a profusion of holes and threadbare areas as well as some sites that are mended. Some of these are shown in the detail photos that accompany this post.

The color is a strong, deep indigo tone and the graphic impact of this large-scale cloth is immediate.

This is a wonderful, oversized cloth and one that is recommended.