About This Artwork

Japan

Fukusa (Gift Cover), Late Meiji period (1868–1912), 1890/1912

Woven in one piece (hikikaeshi); Mon side: silk, twill weave self-patterned by areas of plain interlacing; stenciled and resist dyed (yûzenzome); embroidered with silk and gold- leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip-wrapped silk in laidwork and couching
Patterned side: silk, plain weave (shioze); stenciled (yûzenzome; suri yûzenzome and bokashizome) and painted with India ink (sumi) and gold; embroidered with silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-
strip-wrapped silk in single back and satin stitches, laidwork and couching
Silk running "controlling " stitches along all edges
Corners: gold-leaf-over lacquered-paper-strip-wrapped
cotton knotted, re-piled tassels
77.4 x 66 cm (31 1/2 x 26 in.)
Gift of Mary V. and Ralph E. Hays, 2001.225

Exhibition, Publication and Ownership Histories

Exhibition History

The Art Institute of Chicago, The Elizabeth F. Cheney and Agnes Allerton Textile Galleries, "Fukusa and Furoshiki: Splendid Japanese Gift Covers and Wrapping Cloths," July 17–November 17, 2002

Publication History

Akihiko Takemura. Fukusa, Japanese Gift Covers (Tokyo: Iwasaki Bijutsu-sha, 1991), pp. 79, 259-261m pl. 79.

Ownership History

Acquired by Hays: June 13, 1987. Yoloyama, Inc., Kyoto.