A Cotton Zanshi Ori Furoshiki: Large and Graphic

early to mid twentieth century
48" x 50", 122 cm x 127 cm

This is a four panel furoshiki, a furoshiki  is a square-shaped cloth that is used primarily for the hauling and storage of goods.

This one is made of cotton zanshi ori.  Zanshi ori is cloth that is woven from threads either leftover from home production of yarn making, or from broken threads that were purchased from local commercial weavers. 

Usually the weft is fed with these random threads while generally the warp is regulated producing an irregular horizontal 'striping'; if home threads are used, knotted slubs can often be seen. 

This furoshiki was stitched from four pieces of cloth which were cut from one bolt of zanshi ori. Because of this in the finished piece you can see the variation in the warp areas--this variation is seen in the form of blocks of color tone.

The cutting of these four pieces from the same bolt and the way they are configured to create this abstract "painting" is simply marvelous to see.

This furoshiki was used so like most which have been put to work the center area is slightly distended. The lead photo here shows the furoshiki hanging on a wall and this central, distended area is obvious although not distracting from the overall visual enjoyment of the piece.

Wonderful.