Japanese Indigo Boro Textile Panel with Hand-Stitched Patchwork

Size: Approximately 10 by 54.5 inches (25.4 by 138.4 cm)
Japan · Circa 1900, late Meiji period · Cotton

Solid, striped, and checked indigo cottons run along this Japanese boro panel, with two brown checked patches among the blues. The hand stitching is visible across the whole piece.

The reverse is mostly pale blue checked cotton. You can see the stitches from the patched side running through it, so there’s plenty to look at on either face.

Its long, narrow shape suggests it may have come from a larger domestic textile, possibly a futon cover.

Details

• Techniques: Hand stitching, patching, and mending
• Colors and patterns: Indigo blues with solid, striped, checked, and brown checked cotton patches
• Construction: Long two-sided textile panel

Condition

The panel remains intact along its full length, with extensive patching and hand stitching. It’s in great antique condition, with varied indigo fading, some age-appropriate staining, and a few beautifully worn-through areas.