Fukusa (Gift Cover)
late Edo period (1789–1868)/ Meiji period (1868–1912), 19th century
Medium
Pattern side: silk, gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip-wrapped cotton, slit and single interlocking tapestry weave with outlining wefts (tsuzure); lining: silk, plain weave with creped wefts (chirimen, hitokoshi); sewn with padded lining extending beyond front at center on all four sides (yatsuzuma); controlling stitches: silk, running “controlling” stitches along all edges; corners: silk, four-strand square braid; knotted atop open buttonhole filling stitch covered gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper cap over cotton ball; silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip-wrapped cotton re-plied fringe tassels
Dimensions
76.9 × 68 cm (30 1/4 × 26 3/4 in.); Tassel: H.: 13 cm (5 1/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
183429
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...