Attush robe with patterned collar, late 19th century
Unknown Ainuexpand_more
Cloth: elm-bark fiber; cotton appliqué and embroidery, katazome (stencil resist)expand_more
The John R. Van Derlip Fund and the Mary Griggs Burke Endowment Fund established by the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation; purchase from the Thomas Murray Collectionexpand_more 2019.20.24
Not on Viewexpand_more
Attush (elm bark) robes are made of plain-weave bast fiber made from the bark of the Manchurian elm (ohyō). Such robes were mainly created by the Ainu on Hokkaido, while those on Sakhalin predominantly worked with nettle fiber (irakusa). Harvesting the elm bark is a laborious and lengthy process for the textile maker. First, 5- to 6-inch-wide strips of bark are peeled off a young tree. After discarding the outer layer, the inner bark is soaked for around a week, then scraped and thoroughly washed. After drying in the sun, the fibers are carefully split, twisted, and tied into a skein. The resulting thread has a warm, yellowish-brown color. Like most bast fiber textiles, such as linen, these garments become more supple and soft with wear.
Details
- Title
- Attush robe with patterned collar
- Role
- Maker
- Accession Number
- 2019.20.24
- Provenance
- Kaikodo (2013)
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Murray et al. 2018, pl. 14
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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