{"product_id":"a-narrow-length-of-nineteenth-century-sakai-sarasa-indian-trade-cloth-inspired","title":"A Narrow Length of Nineteenth Century Sakai Sarasa: Indian Trade Cloth Inspired","description":"\u003cp\u003emid nineteenth century\u003cbr\u003e29\" x 6 1\/2\", 73.5 cm x 16.5 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is length of stencil dyed, hand spun, hand woven cotton cloth that is meant to evoke the feeling of Indian trade cloth or\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003esarasa.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Edo period,\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esarasa\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewas collected by connoisseurs of beauty in Japan who were people of great means and high social position. The fact that\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003esarasa\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewas 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSakai sarasa\u003c\/em\u003e, of which this is an example, is named for the Sakai area of Osaka where this type of cloth was produced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSakai sarasa\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewas a kind of luxury fabric in its day and even in the present era it is considered as such in Japan. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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 \u003cem\u003eyogi\u003c\/em\u003e or a kimono-shaped duvet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVery recommended for its rarity and its cultural value--not to mention its delicate beauty.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sri","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45991353352378,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0070\/9422\/files\/Sakai5a_90d177a3-84c9-4081-b037-b8322105bd8c.jpg?v=1781454861","url":"https:\/\/www.srithreads.com\/products\/a-narrow-length-of-nineteenth-century-sakai-sarasa-indian-trade-cloth-inspired","provider":"Sri","version":"1.0","type":"link"}