A Tsutsugaki Dyed Furoshiki Panel: Indigo Dyed Cotton

ca. early twentieth century
58 1/2" x  13", 148.5 cm x 33 cm

This tattered and battered length of indigo dyed cotton was taken from a furoshiki, a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, as is evidenced by it bowed shape.

The cloth has been well used as it shows scuffs and small holes.  Its surface also shows traces of wear from a lifetime of hard work.

But its surface also shows some beautiful, hand resist dyed images.  At the proper top of the cloth we see tsutsugaki resisted plum blossoms while at the bottom we see tsutsugaki resisted pine.  The large, blank form in the center is a fragment of what must have been the complete furoshiki's centrally placed family crest, however now we can only see a bit of it.

There is one, purplish cotton patched which is hand stitched to the scuffed surface.

Beautiful in its simplicity and its very typically Japanese character.