Japanese Antique Fukusa Textile Art Meiji Period

A Japanese silk Fukusa panel circa late 19th-early 20th century of Meiji Period. The front was beautifully decorated with Yuzen-zome, a labor intensive resist-dye technique invested by an artist monk Miyazaki Yuzensai (1654 -1736) of Edo period. The auspicious composition features a group of red-crown cranes, the symbol of longevity. Three of them perch on the rock by the ocean (East Sea) an two of them are in flight. Additionally, two egrets frolic in the wave. Yuzen dying was used extensively to showcase the amazing details such as the waves and the gradual coloring effect. Embroidery was used sparsely to highlight areas such as the legs of the crane to render it more dimensional details. The piece has a red silk backing and still retains four blue tassels on corners as well as decorative stitches along the edges. Fukusa is a traditional Japanese textile...

On offer is a set of five Japanese textile art panels called Oshi-E circa Meiji Period (1868-1912). This usual set of panels depict various aspects of daily life in Edo time with beautiful details. Some of these panels are snapshots of the buzzling commercial activities at the marketplace, providing insight into the signages, architecture, costumes and how people interacted within a historical and pictorial context. Other panels depict daily leisure activities such as lounging in the park or visiting friends. The realistic rendering and attention to details are not short of "photographic" quality. From the signage of the shops to the motions and attires of the individual characters, from the hairstyle, small ornaments, down to the facial expression, were all recorded in great details. Each panel was signed with the artist's name Yukihana in Kanji with a red seal. These panels are unframed and await your custom touch (framing with inner gilt spacer and mat costs about 250-500 depending on the material chosen, see a framed example in the last picture of a single framed panel we have for sale). We offer them for sale individually, but it will be great for a collector to consider the whole set so that they can stay together. The Oshi-E (also known as kiritori zaiku) is a type of ornamental textile art dated back to the Muromachi period (1392-1573). It started among the elite aristocratic women in Kyoto before spreading wider in the Japanese society. Throughout Edo and Meiji period, Oshi-E were sometimes used to make offerings to the altars in the temple and in the late 19th century, it was exported to the west along with the other embroidery textile art. Oshi-E was made by using silk wadding to create a relief design. Various silk fabric swaps and sometimes wires and tassels, often recycled from older kimonos...

A Japanese silk embroidery Fukusa panel circa 1890-1910s toward the end of Meiji Period. On the deep blue satin background, the artist showcases a clump of bamboos in a realistic sty...

A visually stunning Japanese fukusa panel with an embroidered dragon on a swirling cloud background, nicely displayed on a scarlet felt matt in a carve...

Stunning contrasting colors featuring a metallic fringe on this beautiful fine silk, tie dye ceremonial shoulder cloth from Palembang, Sumatra. Early 20 century. There are 2 very small holes shown on the last image, to be expected due to the age. We only source the best. This beautiful shawl can be worn or used as a wall hanging framed...

Striking "pelangi" tie-dyed textile from Toraja Land, South Sulawesi. We added a linen border, double backed on both ends. This beautiful panel can be used as a wall hanging, draped ...

Striking “pelangi” tie-dyed textile from Toraja Land, South Sulawesi. We added a linen border, double backed on both ends. This beautiful panel can be used as a wall hanging, draped ...

Late Meiji Period sleeping Kimono / Yogi, Japan Yogi are a type of oversized sleeping kimono traditionally used in Japan. This kimono would have b...