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Japanese

Fukusa, ca. 1800

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

Japanese

Title

Fukusa

Year

ca. 1800

Medium

Silk; satin, embroidered with silk and metallic thread in satin stitch, long and short satin stitch, couching, pad stitch, knot stitch, with ink and glass

Dimensions

Length: 86.4 cm (34 inches)

Type

  • Textiles

Credit

Gift of Marshall H. Gould

Object Number

46.175

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Fukusa

June 30 - September 26, 1999

The Applied Image

March 11 - June 21, 1998

These fukusa are fine examples of the exploitation of embroidery techniques to achieve a realistic surface. In describing the feathers of the rooster, long and short satin stitches are used, while the French knots on the cock's comb create a different texture. The fukusa with the rooster, hen, and chicks is appropriate for a New Year's or a wedding gift, as the five fowls traditionally symbolize conjugal harmony and a happy family. It could also be used for a boy's coming of age, as a wish for the child to possess all of the cock's virtues. Finally, this fukusa could have been used in autumn for ritual offerings to a shrine to celebrate an abundant harvest, as symbolized by the cock, who, according to the theory of the Five Elements, is on the western or autumnal meridian. The crane and turtle are symbols for the Old Couple of Takasago, known for their marital compatibility and longevity; thus this fukusa would have been appropriate for many festive occasions.

Fukusa

August 24, 1988 - April 9, 1989

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Fukusa with the accession number of 46.175. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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