Touched by Indigo - Royal Ontario Museum

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1 CONTENTS Acknowledgments 3 Map of China 4 Chronology 5 Introduction 6 Indigo 9 Cotton 11 Woven fabrics: Plain and Decorated 13 Pattern-dyed fabrics: Tie-dye 20 Wax-resist 26 Clamp-resist 34 Paste-resist 39 Embroidery 49 Notes 71 Bibliography 78
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Touched by Indigo: Chinese Blue-and-White Textiles and Embroidery would not have happened without the gracious support of many people. Back in 2001, Dr. Alexandra Palmer invited me to organize a textile exhibition of my choice. In the following year, an anonymous donor gave me a generous research grant which enabled me to take a much needed study trip to China. In the first two weeks of September 2003, I visited indigo dyeshops and museums in Shanghai, Nantong, Wuzhen, Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Cuiyang, and Kaili, talked to indigo growers and dyers, conferred with textile experts, and gathered published research data. I am particularly indebted to Dr. Zhao Feng, Deputy Director of the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou, who suggested places of research interest and provided me with contacts. Xu Cuohua, Deputy Director of Nantong Textile Museum, and Wu Yuanxin, Curator of China Nantong Blue Calico Art Gallery, too, went out of their way to make my visit to their institutions both very educational and enjoyable. In preparing this exhibition, Karla Livingston was tireless in showing me artifacts in storage and photographing items for my preliminary selection. Anu Liivandi promptly provided me with the computer documentation I needed. Jack Howard, as always, patiently and cheerfully guided me out of inevitable problems. A talented design team has worked very hard in developing the exhibition from concept to production. Special thanks are due Seema Hollenberg (Project Manager), Emilio Cenovese (Exhibit Designer), Steven Spencer (Interpretive Planner), Monique Tanton- Lawson (French Translator), and Shirley Ellis (Textile Conservator). Lenders to the exhibition also deserve special mention. They include Mrs. Mitzi Beale, Dr. Doris Dohrenwend, Mrs. Sara Irwin, Mrs. Patty Proctor, Ms. Tammy H.W. Yue, Dr. W.J. Zurowski, and the Textile Museum of Canada. Their treasures add significantly to the content of the exhibition. This publication was envisaged as an exhibition guide to enhance the visitor experience. Due to popular demand, it has been redesigned by Elia Kanaki, Creative Director of Rossul Design, and produced by Tim Kacurov, a member of the Bishop White Committee, for the wider public. Mrs. Patricia Harris, Chairperson of the Textiles & Costume Committee, showed much enthusiasm and support throughout this project. Their initiative to make it a reality is greatly appreciated. Several images appearing in this guide are made available by Ma Jianhe (pp. 3, 9, 10), Ruth Kurzbauer (p. 20), Xiao Yunji (p. 35), Zhang Qin (p. 34), and Dr. Zhao Feng (p. 35). These images are important in clarifying dye-making and textile-patterning methods. Finally, to all who have shown interest and encouragement in one way or another, I offer my sincere thanks. Ka Bo Tsang, PhD January 2005 Royal Ontario Museum Toronto, Ontario, Canada 9 October 2004-10 April 2005
Page 4 and 5: ' MAP OF CHINA XINJIANG INNER MONGO
Page 6 and 7: 1 INTRODUCTION As early as the Shan
Page 8 and 9: 1 cal events, religion, social cust
Page 10 and 11: 1 beat the foam down. The foam will
Page 12 and 13: her hometown Nijing to impart her n
Page 14 and 15: 1 One charming legend has it that i
Page 16 and 17: I THIS UPPER GARMENT is loose-fitti
Page 18 and 19: 1 6c 6d 11 colour thread. In the sp
Page 20 and 21: 1 PATTERN-DYED FABRICS: TIE-DYE Tie
Page 22 and 23: 1 metrically arranged white dots. T
Page 24 and 25: I THE DESIGN IN THIS YARDAGE relies
Page 26 and 27: 1 PATTERN-DYED FABRICS: WAX-RESIST
Page 28 and 29: 1 15a TYPICAL OF ALL SQUARE SCARVES
Page 30 and 31: from dered red band, and this in tu
Page 32 and 33: 19 THIS LENGTH Of CLOTH is decorate
Page 34 and 35: 1 PATTERN-DYED FABRICS: CLAMP-RESIS
Page 36 and 37: and taken up other jobs to make a l
Page 38 and 39: 1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I n
Page 40 and 41: 1 far as Guangdong, Cuangxi, and Cu
Page 42 and 43: 1 25a and birds signify a harmoniou
Page 44 and 45: 1 28 by chrysanthemums lived to a g
Page 46 and 47: continuity. The pattern of specimen
Page 48 and 49: 1 of the so-called Eight Immortals,
Page 50 and 51: lue-and-white and multicoloured emb
Page 52 and 53:
like design, and the begonia. Altho
Page 54 and 55:
1 of the bird depicted here this ho
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1 38 back on their foreheads, noses
Page 58 and 59:
1 bolic meanings through the usual
Page 60 and 61:
! The other represents a stem with
Page 62 and 63:
I I 45 IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PILLOW
Page 64 and 65:
I idea of transmission. As for the
Page 66 and 67:
1 The medallions impart a great sen
Page 68 and 69:
of the melons in the middle basket
Page 70 and 71:
The design is simple but quite attr
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! I I 16 For information and illust
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I 1 I I 4 Zhong Maolan, Minjian ran
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pi. 10; Gao Benli, Taiwan zaoqi fus
Page 78 and 79:
BIBLIOGRAPHY Baker, Muriel, and Mar
Page 80:
I Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped
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Touched by Indigo - Royal Ontario Museum

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