A Length of Bengara Stenciled Overdyed Cotton: Marvelous Hand Spun Yarns

late nineteenth century
51" x 12", 129.5 cm x 30.5 cm

This is an absolutely beautiful and generously-sized length of over-dyed indigo. It is hand woven from hand spun cotton yarns and it shows a ground of luminous green colored cloth over which is stenciled a pattern of peonies against a background of arabesque.

The stenciled pattern is applied directly to the cloth using an iron-oxide pigment dye which in Japan is called bengara. When applied over the warm green dyed cotton, the bengara pigment creates a wonderful, contrasting cool-warm tonal effect.  In this case, the effect is also quite low-contrast as the saturated tone of the red color is almost the same as that of the saturated color of the over-dyed indigo.

The length is in very good, used condition. The over dyed indigo is rich in color as is the bengara pattern.

The pattern is based on hexagons which in the Japanese visual vocabulary is a stand in for the tortoiseshell. This, in turn, is a symbol wishing for a long life--the tortoise means longevity.

Inside each hexagon is a peony which further enhances the visual appeal of this already-compellingly richly colored cloth.

Recommended.