Dragonflies
date: label: Date
content: late 18th - early 19th century
notes: label: Catalogue Status
content: Research in Progress
label: Description
content: Motif of dragonflies as a repeated pattern are flying in multiple directions. The insects varies in size; while some have solid wings, others have slitted designs. The vast amounts of negative space are supported by a web of silk threads.The dragonfly or Tombo, is known as the “victory insect,” or kachimushi, because of its hunting prowess, agility and speed. A Japanese legend states that this hunting creature has good fortune. Japan is also known as the Island of the Dragonfly “Akitsushima. Akitsu an older version of tombo, and shima meaning island. This motif is often found on samurai armor.
place: label: made in
content: Japan
setName: label: See more items in
content: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection
label: See more items in
content: Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Helen Snyder
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 1976-103-11
objectType: label: Type
content: textile designs
label: Object Name
content: Katagami
label: Type
content: Katagami
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin (kakishibu), silk threads (itoire)
label: Dimensions
content: 27 × 42.5 cm (10 5/8 × 16 3/4 in.)
label: Dimensions
content: Mat: 35.5 × 45.5 cm (14 in. × 17 15/16 in.)