Heather James Fine Art - The Art of Japanese Embroidery

The Art of Japanese Embroidery

The Art of Japanese Embroidery Some of the most rare, history-rich silk embroidery come from Japan’s Edo (1603-1868) and Meiji periods (18681912), and encapsulate almost three centuries of craftsmanship and symbolism. Edo, the capital of the Tokugawa shogunate, brought an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity after years of civil unrest. The elite class, part of a strict Confucian social hierarchy based on inherited position, was educated and ran a sophisticated government bureaucracy. Next in the social order were the peasants (farmers), followed by artisans and merchants. Despite its isolationist foreign policy, the Edo economy flourished with domestic trade and agricultural production.

Japan transformed from a feudal to a modern society in the Meiji period, when all classes were encouraged to participate in the public discourse on the direction of Japanese society. The industrial revolution (especially textiles) and Western-style education system also advanced the cultural trajectory.

Animal and flower themes appear in embroidery from the Edo and Meiji periods. Examples in the catalog feature dragons, chrysanthemums and other flowers, a dog and a wagon, and a hawk perched on a branch. Symbolism also prevails in the selection of traditional fukusas, silk thread-embroidered textiles that were used as coverings for elegantly boxed gifts that influential people presented on trays during these periods.

Fukusa: The Japanese Art of Covering

By Meher McArthur Gift giving has long been an integral part of Japanese culture. Giving the right gift at New Year’s, for weddings and at other festive occasions, and wrapping or covering it correctly and artistically has long been an indication of cultural sophistication and has helped strengthen social, professional and political relationships. For centuries, gifts have been presented to families, friends, customers and business colleagues in wrapping cloths known as furoshiki, and cash gifts at weddings and funerals have been presented shugi bukuro, beautiful gift envelopes tied with colorful paper strings. Most spectacular of all the artistic traditions associated with gift-giving in Japan is the textile gift cover known as the fukusa, which is not wrapped around the gift, but instead laid over a gift as part of a more formal or ceremonial gift presentation. These square cloths, which are typically made of silk, lined and decorated with fine painted, woven, dyed and embroidered designs, have been a somewhat neglected area in Japanese art history, but they are often as technically sophisticated and aesthetically rich as the finest kimono or paintings, and illuminate many aspects of Japanese traditional culture and beliefs.

The fukusa has its roots in the court culture of the Heian period (794-1185), when aristocrats apparently protected their belongings from dust with cloth covers when traveling in ox carts. By the Edo period (1603-1868), the custom of giving gifts in a box or on a tray and draping a ceremonial fukusa over them became widespread among the military elite. During this period, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shoguns, who required feudal lords to spent alternate years in the capital, Edo (modern-day Tokyo). While in Edo, they were under the watchful eye of the shogun and were required to present gifts to the shogun and other powerful lords. Fukusa played an important role in these giftgiving ceremonies, as the choice of fukusa demonstrated their wealth, status and cultural sophistication. During this period, although the samurai held political power, the country’s wealth increasingly belonged to the merchant class, who emulated many of the cultural practices of the ruling elite, engaging in the tea ceremony, wearing expensive kimono and using fukusa when presenting gifts to important people.

Whether a member of the imperial nobility, military elite or wealthy merchant class, a person took great care selecting fabric, subject matter and artistic style when commissioning these cloth covers. First, it was important to choose a motif or decoration that matched the occasion of the gift – this showed cultural sensitivity. For a wedding gift, for example, cranes are symbols of long life in East Asia and the birds mate for life, so they are an ideal choice of motif. (While typically, fukusa would be admired and then returned to the giver, in the case of wedding fukusa, they were usually kept by the bride and groom.) If the gift-giver wished to show off his scholarship and cultural sophistication, he might select a motif from Chinese classical literature, such as the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove or a Chinese Daoist deity. A third important fact about the giver that was revealed in these fukusa was his level of wealth. Fukusa are typically made of expensive silk, and the cloth was either dyed, painted or embroidered using many of the techniques employed in kimono decoration. Many of the most spectacular fukusa are decorated with vivid embroidered designs, some including couched details created by wrapping threads in gold leaf and attaching them onto the fabric surface using tiny, invisible stitches. Labor-intensive dyeing techniques were also used, most notably the yuzen resist-dyeing technique used to decorate many of Kyoto’s finest kimono. In yuzen, designs are painted and then outlined in resist paste, then dyed to leave a white outline where the resist was applied, resulting in some of the most elegant and expensive fukusa. But, the more lavish the cloth, the higher the giver’s financial status was presumed to be.

Although such gift-covers are rarely used today in Japan, those that have survived from the Edo and Meiji (18681912) periods are delightful reminders of social customs and artistic trends during rich periods in Japanese history.

Contained in these squares of silk are scenes of gods, dragons, and sages or flowers, fish and other creatures crafted so masterfully by some of the country’s most skilled textile artists that some were undoubtedly more beautiful that the gifts they were used to cover.

Noh Actor

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 27 1/2 x 25 in. $9,500 4876

Here, a Noh actor in full costume and mask is crossing the wing of a Noh stage. The stage is flanked by pine trees, and pines are also a motif on his kimono. Typically a pine tree is painted on the back wall of Noh stages to represent the tree through which this theatrical form was, by legend, passed down from heaven to mankind.

In Japanese culture, the evergreen pine has come to be an important symbol of longevity and steadfastness.

Drum and Fowl

Japan, Edo Period (1603-1868) Silk thread embroidery 29 x 25 1/2 in. $9,500 7545

The o-daiko is a large barrel drum traditionally played in temples, at musical performances and at festivals.

Drums were also placed at the entrance to villages to sound an alarm during an attack. According to tradition, in a particular village many years passed without the drum being used, and hens and roosters began to live in the drum.

Consequently, the image of a rooster astride a drum has become a symbol of contentment and peace.

Three Long-lived Gentlemen

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 36 x 28 in. $8,500 7546

This fukusa features a grouping of three men. The first elderly man, sitting holding a peach and accompanied by a crane, is Tobusaku (Chinese: Dong Fang Shuo), a legendary scholar-official who stole a peach from the Queen Mother of the West, which he then ate and became a Daoist Immortal. The young Japanese man is the Japanese fisherman, Urashima Taro, who according to legend saved a turtle who turned out to be the daughter of the King of the Sea. In gratitude, the King invited him to live in his palace and bestowed him with long life. The third figure is Miura Yoshiaki (1092-1180), a Japanese warrior known for his long life and great resilience, as he is said to have gone into battle at the age of 89. The grouping of these three characters, accompanied by cranes, turtles and other symbols of long life was popular in the later Edo period and Meiji period (1868-1912) and represented a wish for long life and good fortune. Fukusa bearing the image of these three men were likely used on New Year’s gifts.

Kazan & Jittoku with Scroll

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 29 x 25 1/2 in. $9,500 4878

Some of the favorite figures depicted in Japanese Zen paintings were the two Chinese Chan eccentrics, the poet Hanshan and his simpleton sidekick, Shide (Japanese: Kanzan and Jittoku).

Celebrated for their simplicity and spontaneous merriment, these two whimsical figures appear in many other aspects of Japanese art, including fukusa, and represent playfulness and transcendence from the material world.

Long Life Character and Three Long-lived Gentlemen

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 29 x 24 in. $9,500 4877

The character shown here is the Chinese character for long life, read shou in Chinese and in Japanese. Here the character, built up using gold-wrapped threads, is surrounded by the three figures. At the top of the character is Tobosaku, a Chinese Daoist Immortal; at the foot of the character is Japanese long-lived warrior Miura Yoshiaki, and at the left is the youthful Urashima Taro, the hero of a popular Japanese folk legend who was magically endowed with longevity. Such a fukusa, filled with symbols of longevity and good fortune, was likely made as a cover for New Year’s gifts.

Pair of Koi and Waves Japan, Edo Period (1603-1868) Silk thread embroidery 31 1/2 x 25 1/2 in. $15,000 9041

In East Asian cultures, carp have long symbolized success because these fish are believed to have the ability to swim upstream and transform into dragons. Known in Japanese as koi, carp are depicted widely in paintings, prints, textiles and many other artistic media.

Their auspicious symbolism makes them popular subjects for gifts representing professional success and promotion. The image of a pair of koi is used to symbolize success in marriage.

Pair of Lobsters

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 32 3/4 x 25 1/4 in. $15,000 9035

In Japan, shrimp and lobsters are auspicious creatures for many reasons.

They shed their skins so are related to wishes for long life and renewal, and when boiled, they turn red, a color associated with good fortune. In addition, their shells resemble samurai armor, so were popular at samurai feasts. The two lobsters here represent the two gods enshrined in Ise Shrine – Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanamino-mikoto. In Japanese mythology, these two gods created the universe by stirring up the ocean, so together they – and the pair of lobsters – symbolize conjugal harmony.

Three Long-lived Gentlemen

Japan, Edo Period (1603-1868) Silk thread embroidery 24 1/4 x 24 1/2 in. $12,500 9036

This fukusa is one of three Meijiperiod fukusa that features three men associated with long life. The young man leaning on a turtle is the legendary Japanese fisherman Urashima Taro who was magically bestowed with longevity after saving a turtle who turned out to be the daughter of the Dragon King of the Sea. The man holding a peach is Chinese gentlemen, known in Japan as Tobosaku, who became a Daoist Immortal by stealing and eating a magical peach. The man fukusa was very likely made as a cover for a New Year’s gift.

Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

Japan, Edo Period (1603-1868) Silk thread embroidery 32 3/8 x 25 3/8 in. $9,500 9040

The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove are characters who have featured in painted and printed imagery throughout East Asia for many centuries. These scholars, musicians, and writers lived in China in the 3rd century AD, when China was undergoing political upheaval. The sages are believed to have retreated to the house of one of the members, Ji Kang, to escape the intrigues, corruption and stifling atmosphere of court life, and there they gathered in a bamboo grove to enjoy art, poetry and wine. Presenting a gift covered with a fukusa like this would reveal the scholarship of the giver. The receiver would have a similar level of education, so would get the artistic and cultural reference.

Boxes and Shellgame

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 26 1/2 x 25 1/2 in. $9,500 9039

This fukusa features octagonal containers called kai-oke used to hold the traditional shell game kai-awase, or “shell-matching.� The game began around the 12th century and was originally played by court ladies, who vied with each other to match 180 pairs of clam shells painted on the inside with literary or poetic themes. Later, in the Edo period, the game became associated with weddings, and even the motif of the game symbolizes a happy match in marriage. This fukusa likely covered a wedding gift.

Chinese Character for Long Life

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 27 x 25 in. $12,500 6953

The character shown here is the character for long life, read shou in Chinese and kotobuki in Japanese.

The elegance of the characters, especially when depicted in their cursive forms, has made them poplar decorative motifs on textiles, ceramics, lacquer and many other media. Here the character, built up using gold-wrapped threads, is surrounded by chrysanthemums, which are also symbols of longlife because of their health-giving properties. Such a fukusa was likely made as a cover for a birthday gift.

Chinese Official with Attendants Japan, Edo Period (1603-1868) Silk thread embroidery 30 1/2 x 26 3/4 in. $8,500 7548

Pair of White Cranes

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 33 1/2 x 28 in. $8,500 9030

Cranes are symbols of long life in East Asia, and in myths have been said to live for 1,000 years. In reality they can live up to 70 years, but they do mate for life, so are also symbols of marital harmony and bliss, and as such have long been a popular motif for decorating wedding paraphernalia, gifts and even covers for gifts, such as this fukusa. Here, the elegant depiction of this pair in flight with wings outstretched exquisitely showcases the skill of the artist who embroidered the design.

Meng Zong Digging for Bamboo Shoots

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 27 3/4 x 27 1/4 in. $7,500

This fukusa depicts Meng Fong, one of the Confucian 24 Paragons of Filial Piety, a list of legendary characters who practiced extreme acts of piety towards their parents. Meng Fong was a poor man who lived long ago alone with his mother. One winter his mother was sick and needed a broth made from bamboo shoots to recover. Meng Fong went out into the snow to dig for shoots, but the ground was too cold and hard to break with his scythe so began to cry thinking of his poor, sick mother.

Where the tears fell, suddenly bamboo shoots started to rise up out of the ground and he was able to cook them and save his mother. In this fukusa, Meng Fong is shown preparing to dig for shoots. The detailing of the snow in white silk satin threads is particularly exquisite.

Two Immortals

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 29 1/2 x 26 1/2 in. $7,500 7543

The two figures depicted in this fukusa are likely two Daoist Immortals, legendary sage-like figures believed to have attained an advanced spiritual state and considerable age. The figure seated above may be Wang E, who is often depicted in a drunken state next to a waterfall, while the lower figure may represent Laozi, who is traditionally credited with writing the Daodejing but is also considered an Immortal in Daoist mythology, and is typically depicted riding a water buffalo. The lines defining the water and the whimsical detailing of the characters’ faces are particularly fine in this fukusa.

Sake Sprite

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 33 1/2 x 35 1/2 in. $6,500 2142, AS1105

The figure shown on this fukusa is a shojo, a supernatural, imp-like being who is believed to live by the seashore and spend his days drinking large amounts of Japanese rice wine, or sake.

In many Japanese art works, these sake sprites are depicted as playful child-like figures with long red hair, and are often shown ladling sake out of a large jar and drinking straight from the ladle. Here, the shojo is holding an empty sake cup over his head.

Courtier on Horseback with Attendants

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 37 x 34 1/2 in. $6,500 2443, AS1186

The scene on this fukusa depicts a Chinese courtier on horseback accompanied by attendants. The figures are all dressed in the kimono of the Heian period, so may represent characters from the great literary work, The Tale of Genji, written about the romantic life of the glamorous Prince Genji. Around the group are chrysanthemums in full bloom.

Symbolic of the 9th month and also of the imperial family, these flowers are mentioned on many occasions throughout the novel.

The Immortal Kinko Riding a Carp

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 25 3/8 x 23 3/8 in. $8,500 9043

In Japanese, the Daoist Immortals are known as sennin. According to legend, an artist called Kinko loved to paint fish but refused to eat or harm them. Hearing about this virtuous man, the Dragon King invited Kinko to visit his palace under the sea, and sent a carp for Kinko to ride there. On his way back home on the carp, Kinko met the Buddhist deity Kannon, to whom he presented a scroll painting illustrating the virtues of protecting all creatures. This fukusa shows Kinko riding the carp and holding a scroll in one hard, all rendered with exquisite embroidered detail with dynamic, swirling waves outlined in couched gold threads.

Chinese Immortal Riding a Tortoise

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 36 x 36 in. $6,500 2182, AS1167

In Chinese Daoist mythology, the tortoise is believed to live 10,000 years.

As a symbol of longevity, it is often associated with the Eight Immortals, wise Daoist sages who are believed to have attained immortality. Images of Immortals riding through the waves on the backs of large tortoises date back almost 2,000 years in China and are also a popular motif in the Japanese artistic repertoire. On gifts and on fukusa, such an image represents a wish for a long life.

Koi and Waves

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 38 x 32 in. $8,500 5318

In East Asian cultures, carp have long symbolized success because these fish are believed to have the ability to swim upstream and transform into dragons. Known in Japanese as koi, carp are depicted widely in paintings, prints, textiles and many other artistic media. Their auspicious symbolism makes them popular subjects for gifts representing professional success and promotion. The image of a pair of koi is used to symbolize success in marriage.

Picnic Under Cherry Blossoms

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 32 1/2 x 26 1/4 in. $12,500 10681

The scene in this fukusa depicts a group of Heian-period court nobles enjoying a picnic under the cherry blossoms. The elegant group have laid out a large blanket on the ground and hung a curtain from the trees to partition their area so that they can enjoy their picnic in privacy. On the blanket, one noblewoman is composing a poem or letter, as several ladies and gentlemen look on and another lady approaches carrying a pine branch. To the left, several gentlemen are heating up some sake.

Dog and Wagon

Japan, Meiji Period (circa 1890) Silk and gold thread embroidery 98 1/2 x 55 1/2 in. $25,000 6056

Embroidery of Dragon Japan, Meiji Period (circa 1890) Silk thread embroidery 74 x 45 in. $17,500 6187

Kannon and Phoenix

Japan, Meiji Period (circa 1880) Silk and gold thread embroidery 93 1/2 x 64 1/2 in. $35,000 6190

Embroidery of Dragons Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 48 x 34 1/4 in. $12,500 10445

Embroidery of Dragons

Japan, Edo Period (circa 1860) Silk and gold thread embroidery 86 1/4 x 63 1/2 in. $35,000 6055

Iris and Kingfisher Japan, Meiji Period (circa 1920) Silk thread embroidery 54 x 60 1/2 in. $12,500 10016

Bamboo Tray with Fruit Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 23 1/4 x 31 1/4 in. $2,500 AS1070

Bamboo Tray with Fruit

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 23 1/4 x 31 1/4 in. $2,500 AS1068

Hawk Perched on a Branch

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 33 x 33 in. $5,500 AS725

Marriage Kossu of Ducks

Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 58 x 57 1/2 in. $15,000 AS1137

Roundels of Turtles Japan, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Silk thread embroidery 21 x 32 in. $3,700 2138,AS1085

Koto Cover of Flower Cart

Japan, circa 1930 Silk thread embroidery 65 1/2 x 23 1/4 in. $8,500 2985,AS1203

Meher McArthur is an independent Asian art curator, author and educator. She worked for nine years as Curator of East Asian Art at Pacific Asia Museum, where she curated over 15 exhibitions.

Recently, she has curated several exhibitions for Southern California galleries and for the traveling exhibition company International Arts & Artists, including Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami (2012-2017) and Above the Fold: New Expressions in Origami (2015-2018). She writes regularly about Asian art and Southern California artists for KCET Artbound, Buddhistdoor.net and Artillery Magazine.

Her publications include Gods and Goblins: Folk Paintings from Otsu (Pacific Asia Museum, 1999), Reading Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Guide to Buddhist Signs and Symbols (Thames & Hudson, 2002) and The Arts of Asia: Materials, Techniques, Styles (Thames & Hudson, 2005), Confucius (Quercus, London, 2010), published in the USA as Confucius: A Throneless King (Pegasus Books, 2011), and Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami (2012). Her children’s books are Michael and the Magical Museum (Pacific Asia Museum, 2003) and An ABC of What Art Can Be (The Getty Museum, 2010).

Heather James Fine Art also thanks Mark Schumacher for his assistance with identifying some of the iconography in this catalog.

45188 Portola Avenue Palm Desert, CA 92260 760-346-8926 PO Box 3580 172 Center Street Suite 101 Jackson, WY 83001 307-200-6090 www.heatherjames.com