Cloth: cotton and bast fiber; saki-ori (split weaving), sashiko (decorative reinforcement stitching)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 2019.20.50
Aesthetics may have been a lower priority than covering the body with something warm, especially for individuals who could afford only the humblest of worldly possessions. Nonetheless, the harmonious gradations of blue achieved through the recycling and reworking of old indigo-dyed cotton cloths certainly has a gratifying effect. This jacket is the typical workwear (noragi) worn by farmers in the fields. The body was made of old, worn cloth that was shredded into thin strips and then rewoven as the weft alongside a warp of cotton threads (saki-ori, or split weaving). The dense, strong fabric was particularly useful in colder parts of Japan, where farmers need additional protection during the winter months.
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.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know