Stencil Item Number: Ed5.3075 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

The light brown rectangular stencil has a cut design of several sprays of maple leaves. Leaves at edges of design are cut and incomplete. Register points are located along edges of the design. Fan shape hole cut in one corner. Traces of black Japanese script on the back.

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.

Cultural Context

fabric printing