A Length of Jishiro Katazome: Blue-on-White Turtles and Cranes

late nineteenth century
29 1/2" x 13 1/4", 75 cm x 33.5 cm

This is a length of beautifully hand spun, hand woven cotton that has been dyed in the katazome technique.

The bold, blue-on-white pattern is known as jishiro and attracts a slight bit more consideration than its more commonly-seen blue-on-white counterparts as blue-on-white takes a bit more time and skill than the white-on-blue.

The pattern is that of cranes and tortoises--both symbols of long life--which are rendered as roundels and set against a background of crowded arabesque.

In good, used condition this length of katazome dyed cotton shows a deep, indigo tone and a rustic, playful pattern.

Lovely.