Cloth: hemp and cotton; sashiko (decorative reinforcement stitching), indigo dyeexpand_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 2019.20.103
A farmer would have worn this jacket while working in the fields. Made of hemp and cotton, the entire surface is covered with sashiko, a decorative stitching applied to reinforce the fabric. Its simplicity of form, construction, and decoration provides a showcase for the gradations of color. Through its distinct areas of fading, we can read the contours of a man’s active body: the shoulders and outer sides of the sleeves are worn from sunlight and use. A lighter band at the midriff indicates the point at which a sash closure must have been worn, repeatedly loosened and tightened throughout the workday.
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