Wrapping cloth (uchikui) mounted as a hanging scroll

early 20th century

Mounted on a hanging scroll, this Okinawa wrapping cloth was elevated from a piece of functional fabric to a piece of art that could adorn a wall. This particular piece was donated to the museum by Elizabeth Bayley Willis, an important figure in the circulation of Mingei principles beyond Japan, in honor of her close friend Yanagi Soetsu, the founder of the Mingei movement.

Cotton fabric (tsutsugaki)

45 5/8 x 29 3/4 in. (115.9 x 75.6 cm)

Gift of Elizabeth Bayley Willis in honor of Dr. Yanagi Soetsu (1889-1961)

91.78

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Yo No Bi, June 16 - Sept. 18, 1983.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Exceptionally Ordinary: Mingei 1920–2020, Dec. 14, 2019 - Sept. 6, 2021.

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