A Narrow Length of Nineteenth Century Sakai Sarasa: Indian Trade Cloth Inspired

mid nineteenth century
29" x 6 1/2", 73.5 cm x 16.5 cm

This is length of stencil dyed, hand spun, hand woven cotton cloth that is meant to evoke the feeling of Indian trade cloth or sarasa.

In the Edo period, sarasa was collected by connoisseurs of beauty in Japan who were people of great means and high social position. The fact that sarasa was imported and exotic was a lure for attraction--and add to that the mastery of hand drawn design, color and dye achieved by Indian textile artisans drew interested from Japan's elite.

Sakai sarasa, of which this is an example, is named for the Sakai area of Osaka where this type of cloth was produced.

Sakai sarasa was a kind of luxury fabric in its day and even in the present era it is considered as such in Japan. 

This narrow length shows a complex yet subtle pattern of stylized, interlocking, small scale flowers, delicately rendered and set against a blue background. There is overall, subtle fading to this cloth that is machine stitched from two pieces: clearly this stitching was done well after the cloth was made and judging from its narrowness it can be surmised that it might have been part of a yogi or a kimono-shaped duvet.

Very recommended for its rarity and its cultural value--not to mention its delicate beauty.