Exceptional and very rare Moss Green Japanese Fukusa* with a pair of red capped cranes among hanging cherry blossom and chrysanthemums. Made from two pieces of joined silk and backed with a fine oatmeal linen, the piece retains it’s original braiding and tassels. Later small curtain hooks sewn into the top edge at verso. 175cm x 228cm (68.8 x 89.7 inches). Kyoto circa 1880’s.
 
The incredible grassy green ground is as vibrant as it is unusual, it is only the second green Japanese fukusa we have ever seen at this size and age. As always with Meiji export textiles the quality is exceptional, the execution impeccable and the design showcases an innate understanding of layout and the expert use of negative space. 
 
The skill of the Japanese embroiderers in the Meiji period has never been surpassed and the virtuosity on display here doesn’t disappoint. The naturalistic way the black and white feathers of the birds necks merge and interact is of particular note. A completely different method has been used to imperceptibly blend the soft salmon pinks and ivory silks of the chrysanthemum flowers. This mastery of multiple stitches, tricks and techniques employed within a single work is one of the many reasons these textiles stand apart from anything else.
 
The condition is superb, completely original and unrestored. There is a very small (approx 1cm long and 7mm high) area at the bottom right corner by the tassel showing signs of wear and another on the very left edge by the braid (approx 5cm high and a couple of mm across). No marks, stains or tears. The silk is bright and clean with no fading. The braided border is loose in a couple of spots due to small losses of stitching but this is not readily apparent. One thread has come loose from its couching at bottom left (a stalk of grass under the violet flowers). An outermost layer of grey silk at the back had rotted from exposure to the sun and has been removed.
 
The fragile nature of these textiles has left most extant examples badly damaged, with shot, torn and sun faded silk being common, making something in this condition incredibly rare. Please see all images for condition. We have extra available here  or email for high resolution files.
 
*About Fukusa:
These textiles were originally used in the ritual of gift giving, the gift being draped with the fukusa, admired then returned to the donor. These traditional fukusa were made from the standard 38cm bolts of silk used in the production of kimono. Following the Vienna Worlds Fair, (1873) which introduced fukusa to the western world, the Kyoto silk merchants set about adapting their infrastructure to accommodate the new demand for larger silks to be displayed in the homes of wealthy Europeans. Initially these larger pieces were made from two or more pieces of silk stitched together, before larger looms and wider bolts of silk could be produced. This piece has been made from one large and one smaller section to form the ground, suggesting it is an early export. We would tentatively date around 1880. Larger pieces like this were commonly produced from a single silk ground towards the end of the century.
 
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