A Really Lovely and Subtle Two Panel Boro: Hand Loomed Cotton Stripes

ca. late nineteenth century
59" x 25", 150 cm x 61 cm

The overall color of this two panel boro piece is rich, dark and velvety.   

The woven, striped, hand loomed cottons which were hand stitched together to form this piece are dyed in indigo and browns, the result being a dense, warm, saturated color, the striping being very subtle.

Clearly the cotton used to stitch this piece--probably a fragment from a futon cover--is recycled cotton from more than one kimono.  Looking at the 9 or so patches against the base cloth we see that most of the patches are striped cottons which play nicely against the background of the narrow, deeply colored stripes.  Just gorgeous.

Because of its subtlety, this boro cloth is not an immediate head turner, but it is rich and beautiful in its color and its placement of patches.  Note some small holes along the top border and on the proper left, bottom.

Really beautiful.