A Small Pieced Fragment: Colorful Cottons

ca. mid twentieth century
17" x 22", 43 cm x 56 cm

This brightly colored, hand stitched cotton fragment is a panel taken from a komebukuro or a decorative bag used to offer rice grains to a temple or shrine during a festival celebration.

In total there are 15 pieces of cloth which are stitched together to make this length.  With the exception of the slate blue cloth fragment on the one short side of this piece, all the cloth is cotton.  The slate blue piece seems to be a lightweight wool and it is sprayed with small holes.

The orange colored fragment at the top of this arrangement is flannel or as it is called in Japan, neru, a type of Western cloth that was introduced to Japan in the late nineteenth century.

A lovely, brightly colored piece-constructed fabric from old Japan.