Chrysanthemums, wine jars, wine cup on waves of the sea

The pattern of this Katagami relates to folklore. Each element has a meaning related to a fairy tale, combined with exotic patterns, liquor bottles and cups, Chrysanthemums and 'Seigaiha' (sea wave). The elements date from the late Edo period (1780-1867). 'Kikujido' (the-chrysanthemum-boy), was a boy who became immortal by drinking the dew from a Chrysanthemum. Kikujido remained youthful even with the passing of 700 years after drinking the dew drops, an elixir for immortality. This story represents people’s desire for immortality in the late Edo period (1780-1867). Katagami merchants produced a variety of Chrysanthemum patterns, combining water or 'Seigaiha' from this story. The 'Shuten Doji' (Drinking Goblin) pattern - it is often said that Shuten Doji is Japan's strongest Goblin and he loved Sake liquor very much. He was not a good goblin, and it was said that, to get rid of him, you should leave a bottle of Sake for him to find so that he would drink it, and you could remove him while he was asleep. This Katagami pattern features exotic bottles and cups of liquor probably drunk by Shuten Doji. The cups appear empty and floating on the waves of the combined 'Seigaiha' (sea wave) pattern. This is one of around 400 Japanese katagami stencils which are part of the Silver Studio Collection. The stencils were produced in Japan as a way of applying patterns to fabric, mainly kimonos. The katagami collected by the Silver Studio were used by their designers as reference material to produce their own Japanese-inspired patterns. This Katagami employed the Itoire technique. This is one method of silk thread reinforcement in Katagami. Itoire was a detailed technique which was applied to Katagami by veteran female artisans at Shiroko, Ise, from about 1750. Itoire was used until 1920. See Markham, Mamiko (2018): Katagami technique Itoire. Middlesex University Journal contribution. https://doi.org/10.22023/mdx.6477776.v1