Uchishiki (Altar Cloth)
late Edo period (1789–1868), 1797
Medium
Silk and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper, warp-float faced 4:1 satin weave with weft-float faced 1:2 ‘z’ twill interlacings of secondary binding warps and supplementary patterning wefts Lining: Bast fiber, plain weave; inscribed with India ink (sumi)
Dimensions
67 × 67.3 cm (26 3/8 × 26 1/2 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
183205
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...