Object size: 90.4 x 70.0 cm (without 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. Decorated with the shell-matching game (kai-awase), this gift cover was suitable for wedding celebrations. An example decorated with almost the same design and mounted as a gilded wood fire screen in the nineteenth century reveals how fukusa were adapted into furniture and interior furnishings in the West. A European form, fire screens shield sitters from the direct heat of the fireplace. The inclusion of the fukusa and the bamboo-imitation carving reflects the enthusiasm for Japonisme during this period.
