Beyond the Tanabata Bridge: Traditional Japanese Textiles [Hardcover]

William Jay Rathbun (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1993

Startling in their capacity to embody aesthetic and social values, the woven arts from Japan suggest that culture’s long history and rich tradition of producing textiles that can truly be considered an art form. Exquisitely quiet yet graphic communication, the fibers, color, weave, and style of these objects tell us both about their makers and the individuals for whom they were made – his or her place in society, including status, wealth, and associations.

This volume is authoritative guide to folk textiles of Japan from the 18th to 20th century based on one of America's most comprehensive collections at the Seattle Art Museum. Illustrated are Ainu textiles, sashiko, kogin and hishizashi, kasuri, shiborizome and koshi patterns, and textiles of Okinawa.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 197 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (October 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500015864
• ISBN-13: 978-0500015865
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,123,467 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource, January 16, 2008

By 

KimonoMomo (San Francisco, California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond the Tanabata Bridge: Traditional Japanese Textiles (Paperback)

I checked this book out from the library and knew I had to have a copy on hand for my own research. It has more information between its covers than several other books I've read on kimono combined. Extremely valuable for anyone interested in the history of kimono and Japanese textiles. Beautiful color photographs, well-written and well-researched sections, copious footnotes and good quality paper all make this book worthy of a place on any textile collector's bookshelf.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beyond the tanabata bridge, September 21, 2008

By 

Mary L. Austin "tsutsugaki" (northern california, usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond the Tanabata Bridge: Traditional Japanese Textiles (Paperback)

For this Japanese textile collector, this rates among the very best for photography, not to mention information on the various dyeing techniques and other information on Japanese textiles. Not to be missed for the serious affecionado.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Japanese Folk Textiles, December 19, 2007

By 

LuvKimono (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond the Tanabata Bridge: Traditional Japanese Textiles (Paperback)

This publication gives an excellent and extensive overview of the traditional Japanese folk textiles that are in the collection of the Seattle Museum of Art. Articles include an overview of these textiles and their use of color and bast fibers. Other articles highlight sashiko, kogin and hishizashi embroidery; katazome, tsutsugaki and yuzenzome, kasuri (ikat) weaving and the textiles of Okinawa. The book is lavishly illustrated with very high quality photographs of garments from the museum's collection. This will be a nice additiion to the library of any fiber artist or someone interested in Japanese design and crafts.