A Tsutsugaki Dyed Hanten Panel: Hand Spun Cotton

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
37" x 12 1/2", 94 cm x 32 cm

This panel of indigo, hand spun, hand woven cotton is dyed in the tsutsugaki method and was taken from a hanten, a kind of jacket used as a uniform for work or at festivals.

The cloth itself is luscious in handwoven texture and the bold design has visual appeal. The progression of large, grey exes on the bottom of the length draw in the eye. On the top of the length is one half of a kanji or a Chinese character.

Based on this length, one can imagine what the finished garment looked like, yet at the same time this length with its beautiful, old hand spun cotton yarns and wonderful graphic details is a joy to behold in and of itself.