Stencil Item Number: Ed5.3096 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

The rectangular stencil has an overall komon cut design of a tiny bird in flight motif, repeated in rows. There are register points located along the edges of of the design. On the back is a grid marked out in black ink with Japanese script.

History Of Use

The katazome method of dying fabric used a resist paste applied through a stencil; when the paste dried the stencil was removed and colour was applied by brush. The paste was then washed away leaving undyed areas to form pattern against coloured ground. Prior to the 16th century cut stencils were used to colour leather armour. However, during the Edo Period (1603-1868) the technique was developed as a true native craft. Komon is a small overall design used for restrained monochrome patterns on apparel of samurai and townsfolk.

Cultural Context

fabric printing