A Beautiful Resist Dyed Boro: Two Panels, Many Patches

ca. late nineteenth century
72" x 25", 183 cm x 63.5 cm

This is a magnificently beautiful and richly patched two panel, indigo dyed cotton boro textile: simply stunning.

The field is a katazome or stencil resist dyed cotton cloth that shows a traditional pattern of chrysanthemums and karakusa, a Japanese form of arabesque.  On the "wrong" side of the cloth, which we are highlighting here, you see the ghost image of the katazome pattern which read much clearer on the proper "front" of this piece.

The cloth is composed of two panels which are made of three hand stitched pieces.  On this richly toned blue field there are 23 hand stitched patches: this piece is simply beautiful, much more so in person than it is here.

A fantastically beautiful boro in very good condition save for some slight tears on the selvedge and an "L" shaped tear on the bottom right hand side.

Recommended.