A Large Beautiful Boro Tsutsugaki Furoshiki: Indigo Dyed Cotton

early twentieth century
54" x 50", 137 cm x 127 cm

This is a wonderful boro textile, one that is dominated by a large, centrally placed exuberantly drawn, tsutsugaki dyed design which is overlaid by patched repairs.

This is an old furoshiki, a square-shaped cloth that was used all over Japan for wrapping, hauling and for storage.  This one was used hard.

The indigo dyed cotton is most definitely hand loomed and is almost certainly hand spun, so its texture, hand and presence is just what you you want to see in an old Japanese folk textile.  

The design is based around a family crest, in this case it is flower form encircled by double rings.  Sprouting from this large, mon, or family crest, are four, curving tendrils or arabesques; this combination of family crest and arabesque is often seen on this kind of utilitarian textile.  

The indigo dyed blue is beautifully faded and the entire cloth is beautifully patched.  There is one, irregularly-shaped tear to the piece, shown on the accompanying photos.

A wonderful textile from old Japan and one that is very representative of the beauty of Japanese boro textiles.

Recommended.