Fukusa (Gift Cover)
19th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Fukusa (gift cover), blue satin weave silk ground with design of three open fans in gold leaf. On one fan are three pine cones, on the second fan there is a rake, and on the third fan a besom. All these artefacts are associated with Jo and Uba the devoted old couple of Japanese legend. Each fan leaf is executed in the rubbed foil technique where gold leaf is applied over glue (surihaku).
Two of the fan leaves carry on to the reverse of the fukusa. The fan sticks are executed in black twisted cord laid down and couched to the satin. The pine cones are likewise made from brown twisted cord and they have been given a relief surface by the use of padding beneath the couching. The rake and besom are in wrapped gold foil, laid down and couched.
The fukusa is backed with red crepe, the edges of which are turned over to the front to make a border around the blue satin. Originally there was a tassel in each corner. Only one of these remains. There is a small paper sticker with an inscription on it stuck to the back of the cover's top right-hand corner.
Two of the fan leaves carry on to the reverse of the fukusa. The fan sticks are executed in black twisted cord laid down and couched to the satin. The pine cones are likewise made from brown twisted cord and they have been given a relief surface by the use of padding beneath the couching. The rake and besom are in wrapped gold foil, laid down and couched.
The fukusa is backed with red crepe, the edges of which are turned over to the front to make a border around the blue satin. Originally there was a tassel in each corner. Only one of these remains. There is a small paper sticker with an inscription on it stuck to the back of the cover's top right-hand corner.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Rubbed foil decoration (<i>surihaku</i>), twisted cord and wrapped gold foil decoration on a satin weave silk ground |
Brief description | Fukusa (gift cover), blue satin weave silk with surihaku fan motifs and couched pinecone decoration, Japan, Edo to Meiji period, 19th century |
Physical description | Fukusa (gift cover), blue satin weave silk ground with design of three open fans in gold leaf. On one fan are three pine cones, on the second fan there is a rake, and on the third fan a besom. All these artefacts are associated with Jo and Uba the devoted old couple of Japanese legend. Each fan leaf is executed in the rubbed foil technique where gold leaf is applied over glue (surihaku). Two of the fan leaves carry on to the reverse of the fukusa. The fan sticks are executed in black twisted cord laid down and couched to the satin. The pine cones are likewise made from brown twisted cord and they have been given a relief surface by the use of padding beneath the couching. The rake and besom are in wrapped gold foil, laid down and couched. The fukusa is backed with red crepe, the edges of which are turned over to the front to make a border around the blue satin. Originally there was a tassel in each corner. Only one of these remains. There is a small paper sticker with an inscription on it stuck to the back of the cover's top right-hand corner. |
Dimensions |
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Styles | |
Object history | Purchased. Registered File number 1981/1201. |
Subjects depicted | |
Literary reference | Jo and Uba |
Bibliographic reference | Takemura, Akihiko. Fukusa: Japanese Gift Covers. Iwasaki Bijutsu-sha, Tokyo, 1991. Plate 19. ISBN 475341325X |
Collection | |
Accession number | FE.37-1981 |
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Record created | June 25, 2009 |
Record URL |
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