A Length of Katazome Dyed Cotton: Young Pines as Roundels

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
27" x 12 3/4", 68.5 cm x 32.5 cm

This is a length of richly toned katazome dyed cotton that shows an interesting repeat pattern of young pines rendered as roundels and set against a background of large-scale arabesque.

The size of the roundels as compared to the karakusa or arabesque of the background creates a fine looking design. This is enhanced by the black coloring of the karakusa which creates a depth of color to the entire piece.

A very good length of old katazome dyed cotton and one with a relatively unusual design, this is a fine example of this type of traditional dyeing.