About This Artwork

Japan

Fukusa (Gift Cover), Taishô period (1912–1926), 1912/26

Woven in one piece (hikikaeshi); Mon side: silk, twill weave self-patterned by areas of plain interlacing; dye extracted through stenciled chemical dye stripper (bassen); stenciled (yûzenzome: utsushinori yûzenzome) and painted with India ink (sumi); embroidered with silk and gold-leaf-on-paper-strip wrapped cotton, couching; Patterned side: silk, plain weave; stenciled and resist dyed (yûzenzome: utsushinori yûzenzome and otoshizome); embroidered with silk and gold-leaf-on-paper-strip wrapped cotton in satin stitches; couching; silk, running "controlling" stitches along all edges; corner: gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip wrapped cotton; oblique interlaced, knotted and re-plied fringe tassels
53 x 48.9 cm (20 7/8 x 19 1/4 in.)
Gift of Mary V. and Ralph E. Hays, 2001.235

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

Ownership History

Acquired by Hays: October 1, 1988. Brooks Hall Antiqure Show, San Francisco.