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Unknown Maker, Japanese

Wrapping cloth (fukusa)

Maker

Unknown Maker, Japanese

Culture

Japanese, Meiji

Title

Wrapping cloth (fukusa)

Period

Meiji

Year

ca. 1865

Medium

  • silk,
  • paint,
  • metallic-paper-wrapped threads; satin weave,
  • embroidery,
  • couched embroidery

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

  • Silk,
  • paint,
  • metallic-paper-wrapped threads; satin weave,
  • embroidery,
  • couched embroidery

Materials

silk, Metallic-wrapped yarn

Geography

Place Made: Japan

Dimensions

Length: 76.2 cm (30 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Marshall H. Gould

Object Number

46.178

Type

  • Textiles

Exhibition History

Nuance in Nature
Birds and Flowers in Japanese Textile Design
Feb 16, 2007 – Jul 08, 2007

Label copy

This design may be interpreted in several ways. It may be seen as utilizing a type of symbolism that is more like a pun than anything else, a type of metaphor whose subject bears a homophonic resemblance to another unrelated subject. For example, the rooster or cock embroidered on this cloth makes a sound in Japan that is understood as “kokka-koo.” The sound of this cry is the same as the spoken words that mean “happiness to our land.” Using this interpretation, although at first glance combat appears to be suggested, this scene may be one of peace and happiness rather than of strife.

The Applied Image
Mar 11, 1998 – Jun 21, 1998

Label copy

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.

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Japanese
Wrapping cloth (fukusa), ca. 1865
Silk, paint, metallic-paper-wrapped threads; satin weave, embroidery, couched embroidery
Length: 76.2 cm (30 inches)
Gift of Marshall H. Gould 46.178

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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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