Textile (Japan), late 18th century
This is a Textile. It is dated late 18th century and we acquired it in 1956. Its medium is cotton and its technique is stencil resist (katazome) with reserve on plain weave. It is a part of the Textiles department.
IRIS PATTERN (group label)
In Japan, the technique of using stencils for textile dyeing developed out of methods originally devised for decorating leather armor. Some common katagami motifs record this history: the stylized iris pattern that appears on this stencil, and on the textile nearby, symbolizes bravery. The connection arises from the similarity of the words for iris (shobūgawa) and valor or military victory (shobū). Although stencil-dyed fabrics were first associated with samurai, during the course of the Edo period (1603–1868) they became popular among members of the merchant and peasant classes.
Its dimensions are
H x W: 94 x 34.9 cm (37 x 13 3/4 in.)