A Length of Stenciled Cotton: Unusual Yellow Ground

late nineteenth century
39" x 13", 99 cm x 33 cm

This is a length of fairly heavily woven, hand spun cotton cloth that has been dyed yellow. On top of this yellow dyed cloth is a stenciled pattern of a green hue: the design is that of ivy leaves against a background which is a variant on the popular or often-seen interlocking circles motif.

The ivy is a well-proliferated motif that is often used as a family crest and one of its many meanings is that it represents a kind of graceful beauty. Here we see ivy leaves rendered in two different ways: one dark, one light.

The cloth shows some light wear overall and for its age--over 100 years--it can be considered to be in good, used condition.