Uchishiki (Altar Cloth)
Edo period (1615–1868), 1750/1800
Medium
Silk and gold-leaf-over lacquered-paper strip, warp-float faced 4:1 ‘Z’ twill weave with weft-float faced 1:2 ‘Z’ twill interlacings of secondary binding warps and supplementary patterning wefts; lining: cotton, plain weave
Dimensions
66.2 × 68.4 cm (26 1/8 × 27 in.); Weft repeat: H.: 16.8 cm (6 5/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
183203
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...