Fukusa (Gift Cover)
late Edo period (1789–1868)/ Meiji period (1868–1912), 19th century
Medium
Patterned side: silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper strip wrapped cotton, slit tapestry weave (tsuzure); Lining: silk, 7:1 satin damask weave (donsu); sewn with front and lining matched in size (Tachikiri awase); silk, running “controlling” stitches along all edges; corners: gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip wrapped silk, 1:1 tubular oblique interlacing over cotton core, knotted; gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip wrapped silk wrapped cotton ball, and re-plied fringe tassels
Dimensions
72.4 × 63.5 cm (28 1/2 × 25 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
183422
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...