A Length of Plaid Cotton: Patina and Three Patches

early twentieth century
55 3/4" x 13 1/4", 141.5 cm x 33.5 cm

What a handsome length of indigo dyed cotton plaid whose two tones of blue are much more subtle and rich than they appear on these photographs.

The grid that separates the squares of color is a kind of maize hue whose intensity is lost on the photos here. Likewise the subtlety in the indigo is also flattened by photography.

There are patches on three of the four corners, each one the size of a large postage stamp. 

Plaids of all kinds were plentiful and well-loved in Japan and there are countless variations on them. 

This simple one is particularly good looking and in person its colors have life.