An Excellent Four Panel Boro Fragment: Beautifully Aged, Patched and Layered

ca. late nineteenth century
24" x 47 1/4", 61 cm x 120 cm

This splendidly boro futon cover fragment, which is composed of four panels, is one to consider adding to your collection, or, better yet, this is one to acquire in order to begin a collection.  

It is an excellent example of boro cloth.  

This swath possesses every good aspect you would want to see in a boro textile: it has good age, great patina, and a rich mix of beautifully layered, 19th century cottons, all of the perfectly faded, worn and hand stitched to an equally old base cloth. And, most importantly, this mix of cottons and layering produces an end result that is visually compelling and one that speaks quiet volumes on everyday life in old Japan.

In places, this fragment is about three layers thick; there are splits at two of the seams, and the cotton is a bit threadbare in just a few, small areas. Other than these deficits, the patched cloth is robust and very beautiful in its finished state.

Really beautiful and soulful.

Recommended.