13.5 cm (vertical) × 13.5 cm (horizontal) × 12.5 cm (thickness)
This set of Album of Ancient Textiles comprises two volumes bound in an accordion-style format, featuring an exquisite collection of fabric fragments. The samples primarily include brocade with gold threads, printed gold patterns, gold foil appliqué, and satin weaves; and the album covers are elegantly adorned with luxurious floral-patterned satin. This type of album was specifically curated to document imported textiles associated with the Japanese tea ceremony, particularly the precious fabrics from China, known as meibutsugire (名物裂)—textiles renowned for their rarity and prestige.
Since the Muromachi period (1336–1573), exquisite fabrics from China’s Southern Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties were imported to Japan. These luxurious textiles, often used for aristocratic and samurai clothing or interior furnishings, symbolized social status and wealth. Japanese tea masters cherished these imported historical fabrics, using them to mount scrolls, wrap tea utensils, among others.
By the Edo period (1603–1868), these fabrics were systematically categorized and collectively referred to as “meibutsugire.” The term emerged during the mid-Edo period, popularized by Kokon Meibutsu Ruijū, a catalog compiled by Matsudaira Fumai (1751–1782) and published in 1797. The section titled “Meibutsugire no Bu” classifies textiles into diverse categories, including brocade with gold, satin, striped patterns, sarasa, brocade, and gold-printed cloth. Following the publication of this influential catalog, Japanese tea connoisseurs eagerly collected meibutsugire albums, leading to the production of various versions of ancient textile albums and handbooks. This particular Album of Ancient Textile stands as a remarkable testament to that historical and cultural tradition.