Katagami | Exhibitions | Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

This exhibition was on display from March 30, 2019 to October 27, 2019.

There were 33 objects in this exhibition but right now we can only show you 32 of them. Some objects may not be viewable because they were on loan; this might be due to issues involving image rights or simply because there is no digitized image for the objects.

See all the exhibitions.

View and print exhibition labels.

Stencil, Waves, Fishing Nets, and Pine Leaves

Stencil, Waves, Fishing Nets, and Pine Leaves
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon juice....
Museum purchase through gift of Norvin Hewitt Green.
1946-104-6

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Kimono Length (tan) (Japan)

Kimono Length (tan) (Japan)
cotton.
Museum purchase through gift of Jacques Seligmann.
1948-10-2

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Sample Book (Japan)

Sample Book (Japan)
silk samples, paper book.
Gift of Rowland Burdon-Muller.
1939-17-5

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 59 images of this object.

Stencil, Abstract Shibori Effects

Stencil, Abstract Shibori Effects
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin (kakishibu).
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-136

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

A horizontal rectangular photograph of a child’s kimono on a white background. The kimono is laid flat and photographed from above with the arms out straight there is a collar that comes around to both sides of the front to almost the base creating a boarder with a slight gap between the two sides showing the inside of the back. Printed in a looping floral pattern in shades of light blue, gold and white

Child's Kimono (Japan)
cotton.
1956-64-14

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

A horizontal rectangular photograph of a stencil of 4 rows of a stylized iris pattern The paper the stencil is cut out of is dark brown on a white background. The flowers are geometric in design with a horizontal line forming the bottom and a vertical line up through the center of each flower. To the right and left of the vertical line are 3 curved lines forming the geometric shaped petals.The first row on the bottom is upright from left to right a partial flower, 3 flowers, 2 flowers, 3 flowers, a partial flower. Above that the second row up is upside down and has a partial and whole flower, 2 flowers, 3 flowers, 2 flowers and a whole and partial flower. The third line repeats the first is right side up The fourth and final row on top is upside down and repeats the second line. There is a fine string mesh on the back of the paper holding the stencil together

Stencil, Stylized Iris Pattern
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin (kakishibu).
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-183

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Dark grey-blue cotton textile with small, repeated design made of triangles. The design is organized in closely spaced columns. The columns alternate between two and three connected small off-white triangles. This triangular design is made of vertical lines that curve at the tips. The textile is a tall rectangle, but it is not perfectly even; the bottom portion is most jagged. The edges are lightly frayed. This piece is an imitation of Japanese leather design.

Textile (Japan)
cotton.
1956-64-15

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Textile (Japan)

Textile (Japan)
cotton.
Gift of Elinor Merrell.
1973-29-20

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

A kimono laid flat. The shape is much like three rectangles: one long rectangle for the body and two smaller, but similarly proportioned rectangles for the sleeves. There is a collar, approximately one inch tall that extends to the waist. The kimono is open in the front, as if like a robe. The kimono is dyed dark blue and has a middle grey tone that is created by a tiny dot pattern, made by stencil. There are three small, identical crests that show a round, white, three-petaled flower within a thin circle. These crests are positioned just below each shoulder on the front, and one just below the neck on the back.

Kimono (Japan)
cotton.
Museum purchase from Friends of Textiles Fund.
1975-82-5

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 4 images of this object.

Deep reddish purple paper in the shape of a tall rectangle. The pattern is in the shape of a smaller, more narrow rectangle, to the left of the center. It is made of tiny silver dots that create the shape of three-petaled flowers that resemble clover. The flowers overlap one another, but the design overall is flat. The design stops cleanly without a border at the edge in the rectangular shape. The paper is warped, so the light reflects off of the raised parts of the paper more than the lower ones.

Katagami, Flowers, late 18th - early 19th century
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin (kakishibu).
Gift of Isao Homma and Mr. and Mrs. S. Okajima in memory of Mr. and Mrs.....
1972-74-1-b

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.

Deep purple-brown stencil with tiny cutouts in the shape of swimming carp and koi. There is a lot of space between the fish. They swim in nonuniform directions. The fish are long and have flowing fins. Their gills and faces have also been cut out with great detail. Most of the fish are shown from a top view, though some are shown from the side. Small holes have been punched sporadically throughout the piece. The edges are jagged and there are small, dark marks on the corners. The material of the stencil is not completely smooth. The color is uneven and there are small darker lines running horizontally and vertically.

Stencil, Fish, late 19th–early 20th century
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin (kakishibu).
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-256

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.

Paper with design of sparrows with wings spread wide. The birds are solid brown and use negative space to show details of wings. They appear cut out from paper. The tips of their wings overlap slightly with the nearby birds to create a geometric effect. The birds are flying in different directions, though generally diagonally. Some birds appear to fly upside down, some are shown from the side, and some are shown from the top view. While they are stylistically the same, each bird is unique. There is thin, grey mesh behind the birds, also running diagonally. This sits within a brown frame of paper that is not completely flat. There are small staples shown on the edges.

Object ID #18489727
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-14

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Stencil, Rabbit Medallions

Stencil, Rabbit Medallions
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-15

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Interconnected rows of bats on a white background. As you make your way thorugh the pattern, the orientation of the bats changes direction as well. Some of the bats are rightside up, some are upside down while others are positioned diagonally.

Katagami, Flying Bats
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon juice....
Museum purchase through gift of Charles W. Gould.
1939-72-1

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Textile pattern which is made of two shades of blue which are placed on a white blackground. The two shades of blue help to differeniate between the two key elements: leaves and stems. The leaves are in denim colored blue while the stems and branches are in a midnight color blue. This pattern is repeated as it makes its way from the top and bottom of the textile.

Textile (Japan)
cotton.
Museum purchase from Au Panier Fleuri Fund.
1954-175-4

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Pattern which the main focus are the 3 leaves in the center. From these leaves, you can see the scrolling vines make their way through the pattern in different directions. At the bottom center of the pattern, you can see the top of a leaf. The pattern is set on a white background.

Katagami, Hollyhock leaves and scrolling vines
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin (kakishibu).
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-112

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Pattern which figures alternating rows of arrows going in opposite directions. Starting on the far left, the arrows are running downward the first row and in the second row, the arrows are running upward. The arrows have black wings while the center is made up of a black and white striped pattern. This black and white striped pattern can be seen as the background for this object as well.

Katagami, Arrow Pattern
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin (kakishibu).
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-95

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Katagami, Undulating Wave Pattern

Katagami, Undulating Wave Pattern
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-109

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Stencil, Pine Trees and Vines

Stencil, Pine Trees and Vines
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-98

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.

A wide, rectangular black mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil, finely cut with a complex geometric and natural design. The stencil is reinforced with fine silk threads (itoire). The geometric frames of the design are filled with floral motifs, stylized pairs of cranes, or line patterns. At center is a large diamond-shape with two large curly-petaled flowers and foliage. Similar cut-off diamond shapes fill the corners of the stencil. The left designs appear to be part of the same floral motif; the right designs appear to be part of a different floral motif. The upper left corner has a side view of a small flower with long rounded petals and scalloped leaves; the lower left corner has a full view of a large, similar flower and leaves. The upper right corner has a large flower with layers of narrow pointed petals and scalloped leaves; the lower right corner has a large flower with thin, spaced-out swirling petals and scalloped leaves.The space between the large diamonds is filled with a design of geometric shapes, symmetrical along the horizontal axis. The shapes form a frame around the central diamond. At the corners of the frame are diamond shapes cut with concentric lines. The top and bottom corners are cut off so each diamond becomes a triangle. Along the sides of the frame are parallelograms, split in half by horizontal lines. Within the central band created by the horizontal lines, the shapes are filled with a pattern of vertical lines with parallel diagonal lines branching off. The vertical lines end in three leaf-shapes, pointing toward the imaginary center line. The outer halves of the shapes each have a pair of long-necked cranes facing each other, beaks touching and curved wings spread behind. The upper cranes are right side up, the lower cranes are upside down. At the left and right edges of the stencil, adjacent to the corner diamonds, are cut-off parallelograms with lone cranes, facing out. The upper cranes are upside down, the lower cranes are right side up. The stencil is laid flat on a pale blue background, with narrow centimeter rulers along the left and bottom edges. Various small labels at the top read 'Ch 152 1976-103-53 Photo: Yuki ITUKA I79'.

Stencil, Geometric Pattern with Cranes and Flowers
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-53

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

This dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil is cut with a grid of thin lines. Bands of closely- or loosely-spaced lines repeat at intervals, creating a plaid-like pattern. Laid over the grid are thin vines with pointed leaves and small clusters of flowers or berries. The veins of the leaves and the round flowers or berries are cut away from the kozo washi. The gently curving vines are loosely-spaced and meander diagonally up and down the vertical picture plane. Parts of the delicate pattern and the edges of the stencil are damaged. At the bottom edge of the stencil is a small white label reading '104' with a gold star to its left.

Stencil, Vines on a Lattice
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-258

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

A brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil, reinforced with silk threads (itoire). The stencil is cut with a layered design of stylized birds, waves, and a lattice. The birds are roughly triangular in shape, with a suggestion of curved head and pointed beak. The tail end curves out, with two pointed feet trailing back. There are four birds in total, two birds in the upper half and a pair of birds in the lower half. The bird at upper left flies up; its interior space is completely cut away. The bird at upper center flies upside-down toward the lower left, its interior half-filled with a small dappled pattern, suggesting leaves or flowers. The birds below fly to the right, one flying slightly below and behind the other. This smaller, trailing bird is half-filled with a spiky pattern suggesting a spray of pine needles. The birds are layered over a sinuous wave pattern, with two roughy horizontal waves joining at upper left and continuing as one roughly vertical wave down to lower right. These curving lines are accented with finely cut spraying crests, edged in curling tendrils of foam. The crests curve out from the wave-lines, echoing their shape. The background is filled with a grid-like lattice, a contrast to the curving birds and waves. The lines are thicker than the thin, delicate lines of the birds and waves. The lattice lines vary in width and spacing, creating a plaid-like pattern.

Katagami, Waves and Chidori Birds on a Lattice
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-270

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

This rectangular, dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil shows two ducks floating on sinuous lines, suggesting rippling water. Short plants with three pointed leaves and round fruits grow out from the waves. The duck at upper right floats upside down, head facing left; the duck at lower left floats right side up, head facing right. The details of the plants and the ducks' feathers are delicately cut away from the kozo washi. The negative space of the stencil is reinforced with silk gauze (shabari). Centered on the bottom edge, a small white label reads '99'.

Stencil, Stencil, Ducks and Bamboo, early 20th century
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-252

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.

This rectangular, dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil shows three geese in flight, over a background of entwined ivy leaves. One goose flies down from the upper left, its neck curved out to the right; the other two fly up side by side from lower right, necks stretched straight. The details of their heads and feathers are cut away, leaving the dark kozo washi behind. The ivy background is a mix of positive and negative space leaves, some with the veins cut away, others with everything but the veins cut away. The interwoven vines cross diagonally across the picture plane. The negative space of the stencil is reinforced with crisscrossed silk threads (itoire). Centered on the bottom edge, a small white label reads '112' with a gold star to its left.

Stencil, Ivy and Geese
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-251

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

This wide rectangular, dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil shows a side by side repeating pattern of scattered iris blossoms on a background of cut-out vertical lines. Some flowers have only the outlines of the frilled petals cut away; the other flowers have everything but the veins of the petals cut away. The irises, in varying sizes, alternate between this positive and negative space design, and face up and down. The background is short, straight lines cut away, with irregularly shaped ends - like brushstrokes. The stencil is reinforced with crisscrossed silk threads (itoire).

Stencil, Irises
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
1968-117-397

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

This wide rectangular, dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil is a graphic representation of scattered ginkgo leaves amid a cut-away scrolling design. The repeating motif is of a large C shaped curl, with a curlicue on the outside bottom edge. Below is another branching curl. The pattern appears to repeat top to bottom and side to side. The split fan-shaped ginkgo leaves are a mix of cut-out outlines and full cut-out leaf shapes. Where the leaves intersect with the swirling design, their pattern reverses, such that a cut-out negative space leaf becomes a positive space leaf. The cut away space is reinforced with crisscrossed silk threads (itoire). The edges of the stencil are somewhat tattered. Centered on the right edge, a small white label rotated ninety degrees left reads '16', with the corner folded over, possibly covering another number.

Stencil, Ginkgo Leaves
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-272

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Stencil, Dragons in Clouds

Stencil, Dragons in Clouds
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-277

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

This wide rectangular, dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil features a repeating design of interwoven peony flowers with stylized foliage. The full flowers, with tightly packed, frilled petals, seem to grow up in waving lines, surrounded by the pointed foliage. The flowers, of varying sizes, are evenly distributed across the composition. The pattern seems to repeat side by side, but details in the handcut peonies and leaves are unique. The negative space around the peonies, and the details of the flowers and leaves, are cut away and reinforced with crisscrossed silk threads (itoire). At the top right corner, a handwritten red-edged label turned ninety degrees left reads 'CM'. Centered on the right edge, a small white label turned the same way reads '238'.

Stencil, Peonies
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-287

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

This rectangular, dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil depicts a lobster within a tall rectangular picture plane, with the corners rounded in. The lobster faces down, two beady eyes on short stalks, its many long spiny legs curling out to lower right, its tail curled into its body at upper right. Its long, narrow antennae wave away from its head and around its plated body. The texture of the plates is created with jagged-edged shapes cut away. Likewise, the interior space of the legs is cut away, so only the outlines remain. The negative space around the lobster is cut away and reinforced with vertical silk threads stitched into the paper (itotsuri).

Stencil, Lobster
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-3

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

This tall rectangular, dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil features a composition of a heron huddled at water's edge among lotus plants and marsh grasses. The negative space of the design is cut away, such that the bird and plants are created by the remaining kozo washi, with details cut away. This empty space is reinforced with crisscrossed silk threads (itoire). At bottom right, two large, round lotus leaves overlap and extend beyond the picture plane, with pointed lotus flowers at the top right and left edges of the leaves. The veining and shading of the leaves and flowers is created by delicately cut-out areas. Just above the lotus leaves sits the heron, facing left, its crested head tucked into its body, wings hunched up. It is a dark shape, with just the beak, eyes, and a few feather-lines cut out. Extending above the heron is a lotus seed pod, seen from the side. The stem arcs up to the right, with a wide, flat seed pod at its end. To the left of the heron is a smaller seed pod. At bottom left, a sinuous reverse S curve of narrow lines suggests rippling water. Finishing the composition are narrow vertical lines representing marsh grasses, rising up around the water-lines, heron, and lotus. At the bottom left edge a small white label reads '363'.

Stencil, Heron, Lotus, Marsh Grasses and Water
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin....
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-13

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

This rectangular, dark brown mulberry paper (kozo washi) stencil is cut with a design of two peacocks and a leafy scroll motif. The peacock at upper right seems to fly down, head looking down, neck elegantly crooked in, wings spread and tail feathers fanned out behind. The peacock at lower left seems to fly up, head turned to look right, wings spread and tail feathers fanned. At bottom right, the ends of the tail feathers of the upper peacock appear, where the pattern repeats. The fine lines of the peacocks' feathers are crisply cut out from the kozo washi. The outline of the curling scroll design is cut in broken lines, with parallel lines on the leaves suggesting shading. Centered on the bottom edge, a small white label reads '49'.

Stencils, Peacocks
mulberry paper (kozo washi) treated with fermented persimmon tannin (kakishibu).
Gift of Helen Snyder.
1976-103-241

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

This lilac purple silk kimono is printed all over with a white repeating design of peacocks on a background of leafy scroll shapes. The kimono is laid flat, facing down, with the rectangular sleeves spread out away from the body. The top of the sleeves and the shoulders of the kimono form a straight line. The open front of the kimono is spread out at an angle, altering the rectangular shape of the body with the collar poking up in a little triangle, and the sides angled out. The straight geometry of the kimono's shape contrasts with the curving lines of its pattern. The peacocks are seen from behind, alternating between facing up and down, with spread wings and long tail feathers fanned out. Their plumage is meticulously rendered. The background scroll design, like a curling vine, weaves around the peacocks. The details of the pattern are crisp against the bluish-purple silk fabric.

Kimono (Japan)
silk.
Gift of Masao Aida, Isao Uchida, Airo Aida, and Yuki Ikuta.
2014-29-1

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 3 images of this object.