A Length of Northern Shibori: Deep Blue and Stark White

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
32" x 13", 81.5 cm x 33 cm

This is a length of a kind of shibori made in the rural, northeastern area of Japan and it is characterized by a deep, indigo dyed ground and stark white designs as we see here.

The cloth shows resist dyed flowers and their petals along with tie-dyed whorls. The undyed areas of cotton show a bit of ingrained color from age and the indigo dyed used for the piece is still rich and velvety in tone.

The simple, straightforward pattern is associated with the Tohoku region and in this case we see it as something bold and modern. This length was undoubtedly taken from a yukata or an unlined, casual kimono: there are set-in creases which allow us to know this.

Rustic and lovely.