ca. late Nineteenth, early Twentieth century
66" x 64", 168 cm x 163 cm

Of beautifully homespun and handwoven indigo dyed cotton, this boro furoshiki, or wrapping cloth, has seen a full lifetime of work. The thickly woven cloth has a great feel in the hand, the patches interspersed over the interior surface of the piece are mad with character.

Note the corners which show reinforcement in the form of some sturdy yet rudimentary sashiko stitching. Overall the piece is ticked with small holes and some discoloration from use, the cloth itself shows stretching from having carried so many bundles through its lifetime, but these details only add to the vitality of this large wrapping cloth, which one can imagine has a rich, personal history in old Japan.