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Buddhist altar cloth (uchishiki)

Japanese
Edo period
19th century
Object Place: Japan

Medium/Technique Silk twill-weave ground with silk discontinuous supplementary patterning wefts
Dimensions 64 x 66 cm (25 3/16 x 26 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.3950
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsTextiles

DescriptionBuddhist altar cloth (uchishiki) with design of three-legged stands, bearing pine, plum and bamboo (Three Friends of Winter) with cranes and tortoises in golden brown, violet, red, pink, gray and green silk discontinuous supplementary patterning wefts on a dark blue twill-weave silk ground; along the top is a pine bark pattern (matsukawa-bishi) composed of diamond lozenge in red; unlined.
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 - d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.