A Gorgeous Length of Katazome Boro: Patches on Pattern

late nineteenth century
70 1/2" x 12 3/4", 179 cm x 32.5 cm

Just wonderful.  

This length of indigo dyed cotton boro is sewn from a base cloth of hand spun, hand woven cotton that shows katazome, or stencil resist dyed chrysanthemums, luxuriously rendered in faded dark blue on light blue.  This base cloth was created during the Meiji Era, in the late nineteenth century.

There are some surprising visual treats on this cloth whose length is hand stitched from two pieces: about 17 separate patches are hand stitched to this 19th century cotton, making a marvelous, patched artwork.

Certainly this cloth was made in the 19th century and it appears, too, that its patches date to the same period, making this faintly patterned boro cloth quite old, which is a good thing.

A really gorgeous boro textile with good age and visual appeal.

Recommended.