A Length of Tsutsugaki Dyed Cotton: Partial Noren

early to mid twentieth century
64" x 13", 162.5 cm x 33 cm

This faded and slightly abraded indigo dyed cotton panel was taken from a larger textile, most likely a noren which is a kind of door covering that was often used as a shop sign.

The design on this panel shows a slice of a larger, comprehensive design so this section is highly abstracted and graphic in appearance. The large, central, hard-edged X sits in interesting contrast to the two horizontally-oriented "brushstrokes" below it.

As is fairly clear from looking at the photos here and as noted above this length of cotton was used hard in its life and it shows in the faded, used condition of it today.

A beautifully graphic old cotton textile from Japan.