Japanese Indigo Folk Kamon Textile

Dating to the mid-20th century, this vintage Japanese textile is a folk example of traditional stencil dyed fabric, known as katazome. Richly colored with a dark indigo-blue dye, the cotton textile has a graphic design rendered in a high-contrast white resist. Flanked by decorative charms, the central emblem is actually a kamon, a heraldic family crest indicating one's ancestral lineage and status.

Japanese indigo textiles, known as ai-zome, became especially popular during the Edo period (1600-1868), when the lower classes were restricted from wearing silk and consequently favored richly dyed cotton fabrics. A beautiful example of a time-honored tradition, this indigo textile looks lovely as a wall hanging or draped on the back of a sofa.