A Very Long Piece of Patched Katazome Cotton: Stylized Peonies

early twentieth century
75 1/2" x 13 1/4", 192 cm x 33.5 cm

This long piece of indigo dyed cotton cloth shows an eye dazzling pattern of stylized peonies against a crowded field of arabesques. The length is composed of two pieces that are hand stitched together and it shows four applied patches.

The rendering of the peonies is interesting for its unusual, wholly invented geometric-pattern center. The sparkling effect of the pattern on this length is due to the fact that grey and black highlights were applied to the design and this gives added dimension to it.

There are very small, faint stains--not many of them--and a small hole or two, nothing that distracts from the visual enjoyment of this length, and there is a lot of visual enjoyment to be had.

Just wonderful and with an inventive depiction of stylized peonies.