Not on display

Fukusa (Gift Cover)

1800-1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

‘The crane lives for a thousand years, and the turtle for ten thousand years’ is a well-known proverb in Japan. The turtle is therefore regarded as a symbol of longevity and the bearer of good fortune and is a popular motif on celebratory textiles. Here a very powerful-looking creature, the long trail of seaweed and algae on its back suggesting it has indeed lived for many years, decorates a fukusa, a type of textile used to cover a gift. The design is embroidered almost exclusively in gold-wrapped thread which look particularly dramatic against the dark blue ground.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk satin with embroidery in coloured silks and gold thread; lined in plain weave silk
Brief description
Fukusa (gift cover), blue satin silk with embroidery in coloured silk and gold-wrapped thread, Japan, 1800-1850
Physical description
Fukusa (gift cover) of blue satin with an embroidered design of a central large tortoise swimming amid turbulent waves. The fukusa is lined with plain weave blue silk, probably a later addition.
Dimensions
  • Length: 76cm
  • Width: 67.5cm
Style
Credit line
Given by Mrs J Douglas Watson
Object history
Registered File number 1972/1886
Subjects depicted
Summary
‘The crane lives for a thousand years, and the turtle for ten thousand years’ is a well-known proverb in Japan. The turtle is therefore regarded as a symbol of longevity and the bearer of good fortune and is a popular motif on celebratory textiles. Here a very powerful-looking creature, the long trail of seaweed and algae on its back suggesting it has indeed lived for many years, decorates a fukusa, a type of textile used to cover a gift. The design is embroidered almost exclusively in gold-wrapped thread which look particularly dramatic against the dark blue ground.

Collection
Accession number
FE.20-1973

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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