Wisteria and Paper Yarn

Dating to the late nineteenth century, this unused bolt of otsuzure is woven from an undyed wisteria-fiber warp and a weft of paper-wrapped wisteria yarn. The combination creates a substantial, irregular surface in which variations in the fibers produce subtle horizontal bands of beige, gray, and brown. Small flecks of color punctuate the otherwise restrained, natural palette.

Otsuzure was produced primarily in northern Niigata Prefecture, where wisteria was among the bast fibers used to create durable cloth for work garments. In this textile, wrapping the wisteria weft with paper adds another layer of texture and strength to the woven structure. Measuring approximately six and a half yards long and thirteen inches wide, the cloth is thought to represent half of a full bolt yet contains sufficient material to make the work garment for which it was intended. Its survival in unused, uncut form is particularly rare, preserving the textile much as it emerged from the loom.