A Length of Mottled Katazome Dyed Cotton: Cranes and Tortoises

late nineteenth century
40" x 13 1/2", 101.5 cm x 34 cm

This is a length of katazome dyed cotton that shows a repeat pattern of tortoises and cranes pictured as roundels which are set against a backdrop of sweeping and delicately drawn arabesques.

The length is well-worn and there is light fading that appears in a kind of subtle and mottled form throughout the length, a hazard of hard wear which probably extended over decades. It is fairly certain that this piece was taken from a futon cover.

The crane and tortoise combination in Japan is a powerful pair of symbols.

The Japanese have a saying that “the crane lives for a thousand years and the tortoise for ten thousand” so the pattern depicted here is one with great significance that would speak loudly to the Japanese audience.

A beauty with a great deal of symbolic meaning, this length is elegant in its depiction of this traditional design. The mottling and the small tear have changed the character of the cloth and they record the passage of time exerted on this length.