A Layered Katazome Dyed Mat: Hand Spun Cotton

early twentieth century
25" x 13 1/4", 63.5 cm x 33.5 cm

This is a simple and beautifully realized layered cloth whose original purpose is unclear: it is the dimensions and scale of a traditional diaper but it is not exactly clear if this is the reason it was made.

The pattern on the cloth, of course, is alluring. It is a large-scale interpretation of the traditional stylized pine bark motif done in the katazome method. One one side of this cloth we see two types of the same pattern joined together thus making a fractured yet cohesive image.

The cotton cloth is hand woven from absolutely beautiful hand spun yarns, the fading and wear of the cloth brings out this aspect very nicely. There is a faint, grey stain to one side of the mat which is shown in detail photos here.

The cloth is fairly heavily layered, perhaps made of four layers, and peeking out of one of the edges we see what might be a small-figured, all over patterned cloth called Edo komon which was a popular kind of patterned cloth in the mid 19th century.

This is a super handsome old fold textile whose attractiveness needs little more comment.