A Length of Narumi Kongata Cotton: Flying Geese and a Storm

late nineteenth century
28" x 13 3/4", 71 cm x 35 cm

Narumi kongata is a multi-stenciled type of katazome dyeing: the many stencils used in this process are in the service of making soft edges and contours to images as well as for evoking a shibori type of effect.

This particular length of Narumi kongata shows a particularly iconic type of pattern that exemplifies what was just described above.

It does not appear there is any great symbolic meaning to the image of the goose other than it being used for centuries as a stylized, heraldic design. Here we see geese flying with great confidence and certainty amid what appears to be a lashing storm and stylized pine needles.

The hand spun, hand woven cotton is just want you want to see on old, Japanese folk textiles and the warm toned indigo has aged with beautiful patina.

Note the tear to the selvedge, right side, shown here on a detail photo.

Really wonderful.