Indigo, Cotton

Dating to the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, this kumanozome futon cover is distinguished by a striking indigo-and-white pattern of fine horizontal bands that shift to form large, rounded diamond shapes across the surface. The resulting visual effect is characteristic of kumanozome, a distinctive moiré-patterned cloth produced using katazome, or stencil-resist dyeing. Despite its age, the expansive pattern has a strikingly modern graphic quality, as the closely spaced lines create a sense of rhythm and optical movement across the cloth.

Named for the former Kumano region of western Japan where it was produced, kumanozome was made in varying scales. Larger patterns such as this were well suited to expansive household textiles, while finer patterns were sometimes used for clothing. Appearing never to have been used, this example retains remarkably strong color and an unusually intact surface. Complete kumanozome futon covers are exceptionally rare, making its near-pristine condition particularly noteworthy.