A Length of Old Rustic Kasuri: Folk Images and Rows of Kanji

late nineteenth century
56" x 13 1/4", 142 cm x 33.5 cm

What a beautifully kasuri woven, folk textile.

It is rich in what you hope to see in old cloth from Japan: homespun cotton yarns, botanical indigo dye and a rustic depiction of images, in this case we have a roughly rendered plum blossom and square-shaped well covers, a traditional image.

Most interesting, however, are the two rows of kanji or Chinese characters that are woven into the cloth. Although it is not exactly known what they say, they likely have something to do with the maker of the cloth or the business associated with it.

This old length is hand loomed and it shows in its good texture.

It comes from the Kurume area of Kyushu whose kasuri weaving is distinctive, often for its bold patterns and complex images.

For its age, for its texture and for its unusual and desirable image, this length of cloth is recommended.