A Silk Flag: Dramatically Graphic Design with Paper Tabs

late nineteenth century
52" x 29 1/2", 132 cm x 75 cm

This dramatically graphic raw silk flag shows a large, wide-walled diamond in its center with a wedge of undyed cloth on its bottom, left hand corner.

Looking carefully at the diamond shape we can see the outline used to guide the dyer when resisting the image which was done in the tsutsugaki method.

The flag is of the type used to mark regiments in battle but this particular one could have had a totally different original use.

Interesting to note that the fairly lightweight silk cloth has tabs on two of its sides that are made of heavy paper which was dyed in green persimmon tannin or kaki shibu. As well the dye used in creating this image seems to be a mineral-based pigment dye.

That said the undyed areas of the flag show random areas of stray dye that has found its way into the design--this has been documented on the accompanying detail photos.

This is a really beautiful, bold image with good age--it is estimated to have been made in the late nineteenth century but in fact it could be a few decades older.

Recommended.