Object size: 77.5 x 75.0 cm (with tassels)
In Japan, the practice of formally presenting gifts with silk covers called fukusa began in the Edo period (1603–1868), around the late 17th or early 18th century. These covers were draped or folded over gifts for a variety of occasions, from seasonal festivities to important personal events. Each fukusa was carefully chosen to evoke the circumstance of the gift and to convey a message to the recipient through its design. Fukusa designs often feature symbolic objects or allusions to Japanese and Chinese stories. The choice of fukusa also reflected the giver’s wealth, taste, erudition, and cultural sensitivity. The use of fukusa continued into the early 20th century. Today, they are used in parts of Japan for weddings and corporate events.The winged dragon on this fukusa resembles one from a print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. Dragons were unusual subjects for a fukusa, and this cover may have been created for export. Even foreign audiences would have been aware of the dragon’s association with imperial authority and supernatural power, making it one of the most popular motifs in ornamental textiles from the Meiji period. The completely plain background and style of the embroidery echoes silk panels made for American sailors at Japanese ports, such as one made in 1871 featuring an eagle with glass inlaid eyes.
