Japan

Fukusa (Gift Cover)

Mid–Meiji period (1868–1912), c. 1895

Patterned side: silk, plain weave; hand painted. Lined with silk, plain weave; possibly dyed with safflower (benibana); sewn with front and lining matched in size (Tachikiri awase); silk, running "controlling" stitches along all edges; corners: silk-wrapped cotton and gold-leaf-over-lacquered-paper-strip wrapped cotton, knotted, replied fringe tassels

70.4 × 65.3 cm (27.7 × 25.7 in)