A Weft Kasuri Panel: Rustic, Lyrical Maple Leaves

ca. late nineteenth, early twentieth century
54" x 13", 137 cm x 33 cm

This is a fabulous, and kind of rustic, length of egasuri or picture kasuri which is woven from indigo dyed cotton.

As you can see by the notch in the cloth, this length was once a kimono.  And what lyrical kimono this must have been.

The image on this length is beautiful: gently falling maple leaves amid what appear to be letters or notes; written on these letters, no doubt, would have been poems that have something to do with the season. 

Because only the weft yarns were tied before dyeing, the pattern that appears on this cloth only does so on the weft. Still, the image conveyed by this kasuri method is simply lovely.

Please note the two cotton mending patches which have been sewn to this length.

A visual treat and a nice, old piece of hand woven cotton cloth.