TEXTILES
Japan
Futonji (futon cover)
Plain weave; Resist dyed, paste resist (tsutsugaki)
Cotton; Vegetable dye (indigo); Tsutsugaki printing
63 x 50 3/4 in. (160 x 128.9 cm) overall
Frances and Thomas Blakemore Collection
TC 96.2-191
Keywords: Floral motif (peony); Insect motif (butterfly); Crest (mon -- melon)

The melon crest, found on the upper right, experienced several identity transformations from its origins as a court costume motif in China. The Japanese name mokko most likely was a shortened form of misu no mokko, the cloth veil that would shield nobility from the public. Over time, the name mokko (melon) was attributed to the veil's pattern, which resembled a cut cucumber (considered a melon in Japan). Other design motifs include the butterfly, whose elegance and docility made it a favorite of battle hardened warriors during the feudal era, and the peony, which was a prestigious flower prized for beauty and used for medicinal purposes. -- Researched by Elisa Law, March 2013.