A Square of Katazome Dyed Cotton: Rare Anchor Pattern

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
12" x 13 1/4", 30.5 cm x 33.5 cm

This lovely square-shaped, small piece of katazome dyed, hand spun cotton shows a repeat pattern of anchors and twined rope. The design has a lyrical feel, ironic since the motif of anchor is a heavy one.

The panel was no doubt taken from a futon cover which, most probably, was offered as part of the bridal trousseau.

The motif is one that is often used for wedding or marriage-related textiles as it suggests the mooring of things, or, maybe more exactly, of safely securing the new bride in married life.

This type and style of image is often associated with the area of Izumo which produced distinctive resist dye cloth with bold, symbol-rich images. The anchor motif is a personal favorite here at Sri.