Untitled - Heather James Fine Art

Fukusa of a Fan Motif with Cranes and TortoisesJapan, Meiji Period, (1868-1912)Silk Emboidery36 x 36 in.2185 / AS 1168The practice of laying fukusa over presents placed on wooden or lacquer trays becamewide spread during the Edo period, (17th to 19thcentury). What begun as a functionalpractice to protect gifts from the elements, took on a decorative life of its own. Well to do familiesowned large numbers of fukusa and often, commissioned famous artists of the time to design exclusively for them. The drawings were thencreated by such techniques as tie-dying, stenciling, slit embroidery, tapestry, painting with embroidery and combinations of all methods.Each time a fukusa was required, it was chosen not only for the occasion but also for the season, the gift itself, and status of the donorand the recipient.