Futonji (bedding cover) with bamboo and sparrows

Dateearly 20th century

Label TextBands of vertical stripes separate two motifs on this futonji-bamboo and sparrows. Bamboo, a plant admired for its sturdy root structure and for its unadorned beauty, serves as a symbol of prosperity, purity and innocence. Sparrows in flight, known for their ease in maneuvering around obstacles, offer counterpoint to the bamboo. Placing both these symbols on a bed cover, often given in marriage, presents two very different character traits for relationships.

Object number2001.453

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Order and Border", February 26, 2010 - August 28, 2011 Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Textures of Daily Life: Art from Japan" July 9, 2003 - October 21, 2003 (7/9/2003- 10/1/2003)

Credit LineGift of the Christensen Fund

Dimensions56 3/4 x 49 1/2 in. (144.15 x 125.73 cm)

MediumCotton cloth with indigo dye (kasuri) and double ikat