Large Japanese Silk Embroidery of Cranes in a Bamboo Forest

A spectacular Japanese embroidered silk panel beautifully presented in a gilt frame suspended in a lucite shadow box with gilt wood border. The silk picture is dated to 1890-1910s toward the end of Meiji Period, when Japanese started to participate international expose by presenting its best art and craft. Elaborate embroidered silk tapestry like this was very popular among westerners due to its superb craftmanship and also exotic subject matter that was often derived from classic Japanese folklore, mythology and various motifs. The tapestry on offer is such an example. It depicts an old couple...

A rather fascinating silk embroidery panel that depicts an American eagle perched on a shield, with laurel branches and shooting arrows under the...

An impressive Japanese embroidery tapestry circa 1890s Meiji period, presented with brocade border on linen canvas in a Lucite shadow box. The stunning design features three dragons coiling and flying in the clouds. The high relief technique used to render the dragons using mostly the silver threads gives this piece a tremendous sense of motion. The most auspicious mythological creature in Japan and China, dragons were a very popular motif in textile art. In this particular piece, it is the impressive size, the superb craftsmanship, the profuse use of silver threads and near perfect condition that set it apart. Japanese Meiji textiles were widely exhibited in the west during turn of the 20th century at the international exposition. It was used to showcase the Japanese aesthetics with the techniques at their pinnacle. These expositions solidified the country's images overseas and felled the Japanese craze in the west, which turned out to be a long-lasting influence on the western art. Many pieces were purchased and stayed in the west. It is likely this estate piece was from one of the expositions based on its high quality. For two similar dragon tapestries...

A large and finely embroidered Japanese tapestry with brocade border, circa 1900s Meiji period. The tapestry depicts, in a rather realistic style, a forested landscape in autumn flan...

A Japanese Fukusa Panel with tassels displayed in a gilt frame circa Meiji Period. Fukusa is a traditional Japanese textile art used as a...

A silk embroidery panel that depicts an American eagle perched on the liberty shield, with laurel branches and shooting arrows under the feet and flanked by four American flags and b...