Storage bag (shifuku) for tea-ceremony utensil

Object Details

• Description

  Navy blue silk background with a gold linear design with four different medallion patterns woven into the fabric: 1) diamond shapes 2) circle with a series of curved radiating lines 3) circular middle with a linear design; the exterior of the circle is surrounded by petal-like shapes 4) circular middle with a diamond shape grid pattern surrounded by petal-like shapes. There is a gold silk rope drawstring. The interior of the bag is lined with a cotton floral motif pattern. The background fabric is beige with small white flowers with gray accents.

• Provenance

  ?-1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] This bag once held a ceramic owned by Charles Lang Freer but was separated from that ceramic at an unknown time for an unknown reason, most likely after Freer's collection was brought to Washington, DC (see note 2).

  [2] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920, upon the completion of the Freer Gallery of Art.

  Research Completed on March 23, 2022

• Collection

  Freer Study Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Freer Gallery of Art Study Collection, Smithsonian Institution

• Type

  Costume and Textile

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1890s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Tea, Art, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Flowers, Meiji era (1868 - 1912), Brocading, Weft patterning

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Costume, Textiles