The idea for this Provenance column has been in my mind for a couple of years, yet I’ve never quite had the wherewithal to make it happen in the substantive way in which I imagined it. For this reason, I am thrilled beyond words to have someone here now who is perfectly suited to pen this column because of her unique background as a design historian and also because of our shared appreciation for a global sense of style that often times comes from the use of age old techniques. Please welcome CLOTH & KIND’s newest guest editor, Jacqueline Wein of the wonderful blog Tokyo Jinja.
Jacqueline is an antiques dealer, design historian and “trailing spouse” living in Tokyo, Japan with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Tokyo Jinja (jinja means shrine in Japanese) tells the story of her travels throughout Asia and elsewhere looking at decorative and fine arts as well as chronicling her interior design projects. Always able to spot the proverbial needle in a haystack and sort the valuable from the junk, she combs Tokyo flea markets, better known as shrine sales, for treasures each week for clients around the world. Porcelains, textiles, woodblock prints, baskets, vintage fishing floats, and katagami stencils are just some of the finds that come her way. And there is nothing she likes better than imagining and researching an object’s past and finding a modern day use for it. She cut her teeth at the 26th Street flea markets in New York and Les Puces in Paris, and honed her Asian expertise along Hollywood Road in Hong Kong. Jacqueline’s incomparable background makes her the most natural guest editor to author this column, which offers a scholarly nod to the history of iconic styles in textile & design.
KRISTA
prov-e-nance \ˈpräv-nən(t)s, ˈprä-və-ˌnän(t)s\
noun. the place of origin or earliest known history of something.
Guest edited by Jacqueline Wein.
These days, ikat has become a household word, extending well beyond those in the textile world. Kasuri, on the other hand, is not, although it is the Japanese form of ikat, in which the weft and/or the warp threads are tie and resist dyed before being woven. That simply means that very tight binding threads are wrapped around all the places that are not meant to take the colored dye. Traditionally, kasuri was made from hand spun durable cotton using natural indigo and patterns were white against the blue, created by those areas left uncolored by the binding threads. Like many other indigo cottons, these were everyday fabrics worn by the common people. Aptly so, as indigo is credited with having the ability to strengthen fabric, making it more durable, as well as being able to repel bugs and insects which makes it ideal for the clothes of those working in the fields. Even as late as the early 1970s, most rural workers in Japan were wearing kasuri garments and Amy Katoh, author and owner of the iconic Blue & White store in Tokyo remembers the gardeners around the Imperial Palace wearing it through the 1960s.
Over time, additional pigments and modern designs were added to the mix. Occasionally, I stumble across an unusual two-tone piece that is not blue, like this madder colored one, although these tend to be more recent examples. But most kasuri still has an indigo base, even the modern machine-produced ones.
The complexity of the kasuri technique lies in having to plan where the pattern will go, not just before weaving, but as the thread itself is dyed. The charm of the technique lies in the slight blurring at the edges of the patterns and images, giving the fabric a soft sense of movement. Most ikat is designed with patterns laid out on the warp – the stationary threads on the loom – which is much easier to produce. Kasuri tends to be weft ikat, which allows the weaver more control in varying the piece as they go, but is also harder to plan and create. The paler wispy white areas in these examples are woven that way. Solid white areas in kasuri are actually double ikat, meaning they have patterns placed across both the warp and the weft, which is very technically demanding. Interestingly, while there is a tradition of ikat in almost all world cultures, only three countries – Japan, India and Indonesia – produce double ikat. Kurume kasuri, as shown below, is a regional geometric form that highlights this double ikat very well.
The areas of single and double kasuri are also easily distinguished from each other in the traditional length of fabric sourced by designer Maja Lithander Smith and I in Kyoto, which she had made into this beautiful bolster pillow. And I love the textile play with the more common Uzbek-style ikat on the pillow behind and the Japanese classic asa-no-ho (hemp pattern) on the vintage geisha pillow on the side table shelf.
Much kasuri is comprised of small repetitive geometric shapes, but it is also possible to create images and scenes with the technique. Pictorial kasuri is referred to as e-gasuri and the variety of patterns is endless – from literal patterns like this butterfly, to allegorical ones like this thunderstorm dragon pattern. Debate rages about where from and when ikat techniques were introduced to Japan, and some even believe it was invented independently at the end of the 18th century, but either way, this distinctive e-gasuri is Japan’s own.
Kasuri is width limited by the narrow loom size prevalent here, being approximately 12-14 inches wide. Weaving was and is devoted to making kimono and other garments, which are constructed of vertical strips of cloth sewn together. A single tan, or bolt of cloth measures approximately 9-11 meters long as that is what is needed to construct a kimono. While it’s not unusual to visit antique markets and shrine sales in Japan with their racks of vintage kimono, it’s less common to come across great varieties of old kasuri ones, although I occasionally do. It’s eminently possible to take a kimono apart and re-use the fabric for other projects. Small vintage pieces perfect for modern day uses as pillows, table runners and accent fabrics are often found this way.
Larger items such as futon covers and furoshiki (wrapping cloths) were made by sewing strips of kasuri together. This early futon cover is made from hand-spun cotton and features both a realistic camelia and a stylized floral diamond called a hana bishi. It has aged and faded over time, adding to its charm and now displays beautifully as a throw over the back of a sofa.
Modern developments in weaving after WWII meant that yarn was no longer necessarily handspun and much of the dyeing process changed. Different kasuri stencil techniques emerged wherein the fabric was loosely woven first, stenciled with color and pattern, only to be tightly rewoven again. This sped up production and allowed for additional complexity in designs. Foreign influences and more varied coloration became common. Today, the word kasuri is often thrown around incorrectly referring to other kinds of Japanese textiles that use an ikat-like technique such as Meisen, Omeshi and Tsumugi silks, which were extremely popular from the art deco era through the post-war period. Their designs were the height of modernity at the time, and still feel extremely fresh today.
Unlike the craze for colored ikat, kasuri hasn’t been commonly copied out in the mainstream textile market. For larger upholstery projects Donghia makes a few kasuri inspired fabrics, including Yumihama, with its box well pattern and Kurume, a finely pebbled traditional pattern.
I am always hunting for vintage kasuri in good condition. If you are seeking Japanese textiles, including kasuri, shibori, katazome, tsutsugaki, silks, patchwork boro or anything else interesting please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at jacquelinewein(at)yahoo(dot)com. And if you have any examples of kasuri in your home, please do share with us at info(at)clothandkind(dot)com.
Gorgeous textiles and a very informative article! Last Fall I attended a textile show at the Chicago Botanic Gardens and stumbled upon kasuri made by a regional weaver, I was smitten and am now thankful to know more about it.
Did you end up purchasing it, Cathy? We’d love to see photos!
xo
Krista
Amazingly informative post! I follow Tokyo Jinga’s blog and am continually amazed by her wealth of information!
Kudos to having her write as a guest editor to your already gorgeous blog!
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Thanks, Maja! I really love the photo from the project you and Jacqueline worked on. That artwork is incredible – would you share the name of the artist?
xo
Krista
Maja – one more thing… I linked your name above in the post to your Pinterest page because I couldn’t locate your website but if you have one please let me know the URL and I’ll update the link!
xo
Krista
Krista, the artist that you see in the background of Maja’s living room is Phuong Quoc Tri. He lives and works in Ho Chi Minh City and I represent his works in Tokyo and beyond.
Thank you so much for stopping by and introducing yourself, Karen! Can’t wait to check out your site. Based on how much I love this piece, I’m sure I’ll be blown away.
xo
Krista
Many thanks. It’s great doing what you love and working with such wonderfully talented people.
Couldn’t agree more! I feel lucky every day to be spending so much time doing exactly what I love and working with people who feel the same way. Talk about fulfilling! I saw a quote yesterday … “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” ―Mahatma Gandhi
xo
Krista
Beautiful designs and fascinating post. Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it, Victoria! Jacqueline did a bang up job. I feel so fortunate to have her guest editing on the blog.
xo
Krista
I finally understand kasuri – thanks for this great post!
Me too! :-)
xo
Krista
The kind of juicy post we’ve come to expect from Tokyo Jinja! Oh my, that piece of kasuri draped over the back of the sofa is so beautiful!
She’s wonderful, isn’t she? Thanks for stopping by!
xo
Krista
thanks for the informative and interesting article.
You’re very welcome, Cate. Really happy you liked it!
xo
Krista
Oh wow, this was nice. Love your post, so happy to be introduced to Tokyo Jinja too! I feel like I have found a little corner of the design blog world where beauty and brains come together. Thank you!!
Your comment made my day! Love the bit about beauty and brains coming together. Thank you, most seriously.
xo
Krista
I have to chime in here as well – that comment made my day too!
I am an avid follower of Tokyo Jinja & will now have another excellent blog to follow. Thank you for a very informative read.
Wonderful to hear! Thanks, Anita.
xo
Krista
I’m an enthusiastic regular reader of Tokyo Jinja and have really picked up tons of invaluable tips for visiting flea/antique markets in Japan. Really nice to see the new connection between these two info.packed blogs.
Ah, that’s wonderful, Penny!
xo
Krista
Thanks Penny!
I was thrilled to find Tokyo Jinga’s blog two years ago after several years of searching for useful information on shrine sales in Japan. I was amazed to find a kindred spirit writing with such clarity about topics that I have been researching for years. Kudos to adding her to this site and I’m thrilled that Jacqueline has turned me on to yet another fascinating source !
Great to hear from another Jacqueline fan, Amy!! Thank you so much for coming by and I’m really happy that you enjoyed the post and the blog.
xo
Krista
Thank you for another wonderful and well-researched post. I have a beautiful bashofu kasuri kimono that I think you would love. I’ll send you a photo.
Please do, Susan! We’d love to see it – info(at)clothandkind(dot)com.
xo
Krista
Susan, there was no room to add bashofu kasuri to this post, but don’t worry, I have something up my sleeve on that front. We would love a photo of your kimono! Thank you!
Thanks for the fascinating article. The photos are inspiring.
Thanks, Ginny!
xo
Krista
Lovely site and fabulous textiles. unfortunately I didn’t read a word of the article because such light text is too challenging for my eyes. Yes, it makes the textiles pop but perhaps you could get a similar effect with a darker grey.
Thanks, Serena. Sorry you were not able to see it – check your computer’s settings as it may be more difficult to read if the brightness is jacked way up? Hope you’re able to read it as it’s a good one!
xo
Krista
Seeing the photo of the kasuri on Maja’s sofa instantly set the vision for my office/day bed….thanks once again Tokyo Jinga!!!
I LOVED your post on kasuri. I have a few pieces of this textile in my collection and they are some of my favorites. I enjoyed learning more about the history of the textile and particularly learning more about how those incredible designs are created. Glad to be sharing a guest editor spot with you on Krista’s blog CLOTH & KIND.
All that you do is inspirational and informative, thank you!
Dear Krista and Jacqueline ~
A very interesting, informative and beautifully illustrated post! Jacqueline, your knowledge of Kasuri is impressive. I have guests visiting soon, and they are quite interested in Ikats and Suzanis. I’m taking them to visit the Textile Museum and Smithsonian’s Sackler Gallery (where I used to work). Hopefully we’ll come across Kasuri pieces at both museums, so I’ll get to show off what I’ve learned here.
Cheers from DC,
Loi
PS – My neighbor, Jim, is a curator in the Japanese Dept at Sackler. I’ll have to chat Kasuri with Jim.
Love the sweet pillow ! Congratulations on your new guest post Jacqueline. It is beautifully written and informative as always.
Jackie, Good luck on your new adventure! Jillian