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Katagami Florals

Katagami Florals

Japanese Stencil Art

Our Katagami Florals series represents fine examples of “Katagami” stencil artwork. Katagami dates back over 1000 years to ancient Japan, but the works reproduced here come from the late 19th or early 20th century. Kuro is inspired by an original stencil while Sakura showcases a painting created by using a stencil. Both are a part of the Design Library’s vast collection.

The method of creating these special stencils is called “katazome.” It begins with grinding the soft inner lining of mulberry bark into a smooth paste, then adding persimmon juice, which acts as an adhesive and also waterproofs the finished stencil paper. The paste is then rolled into thin sheets and dried in preparation for carving and dyeing. A design would be placed on top of one of these sheets and its pattern cut out by hand. Somewhat poignantly, this required destroying the original artwork.

For fans of: Katagami, stencils, Japanese artwork, Michiko Miniatures, Still Life Burst, Sacred Tibetan Textiles, Belle Époque

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