Antique Katagami Stencil - Gourd and Check

Katagami stencils  are traditionally used to stencil a rice paste  resist on various katazome (stencil dye) cotton  or silk textiles before dyeing.   They're cut by hand from layers of sturdy handmade washi paper which has been treated with persimmon tannin to prevent  rotting. The tannin give it the distinctive brown colour that you also see in kakishibui dyed textiles used,  for example, to make sakabukuro bag strainers used in traditional sake making. 

This katagami measures 24.5cm x 41.2cm. It's in fair condition - there are a number of small areas of damage in the delicate check pattern  but they don't take away from the overall impact of the design. The design combines a gourd motif outline filled in with a check pattern that is reminiscent of a cut out design in a traditional window or shoji screen.    Late 19th - early 20th century. 

Price includes GST and postage within Australia