A Length of Northern Shibori: Spare Images of Plovers and Surf

early twentieth century
68" x 13", 173 cm x 33 cm

This is a length of indigo dyed shibori that shows a spare, pared-down design. The shibori is of a type done in northern Japan, possibly Asamai in Akita prefecture.

The rustic design is that of plovers, or chidori as they are called in Japan. They are portrayed as frolicking along the shoreline--the loose, scribbly, diagonally-oriented lines on the cloth represent the surf, a detail that often accompanies images of chidori, a shore bird.

The cotton is very drapey in the hand and the length itself is in good, used condition with a small hole on the upper, right hand side of the length, indicated with a red arrow. Othewise, this piece does not show much wear overall.

Rustic shibori of this type is less seen than the gloriously varied type made in Arimatsu, Japan's shibori "capital" and therefore it is thought of in a different light with a different type of desirability.

Recommended.