A Length of Old Katazome Cotton: Rare Depiction of Cranes

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
44 1/2" x 13 3/4", 113 cm x 35 cm

This is a length of hand spun, hand woven indigo dyed cotton katazome cloth. It is hand woven from hand spun yarns which gives the length a rich and desirable texture.

The design duo of cranes and pine shown on this length is not unusual for traditional Japanese textile design: both images symbolize longevity and conjugal fidelity so they are often shown together, probably to bolster the meaning conveyed by their images.

However in the case of this length we see the cranes in a rare depiction: they seem to be roosting or sitting on pine branches, a most unusual portrayal. Often cranes are shown as flying, often loftily, in the clouds.

That these cranes seem so casually engaged with the pine branches is delightful to see--and also rare.

There is a visual snag to the length which is shown in the detail photo which accompanies this post as well as there is a general light fading and surface wear which is not surprising for a textile of this age.

Just wonderful.