Title
Marriage futonji (futon cover)
Year/Period
Late 19th or 20th century
Region
Japan
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: 202.0 x 162.5 cm
Accession No.
2024-01301
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Chris Hall.
A futon comprises a padded mattress and quilted bedcover, which was frequently included in the bride’s trousseau. It is decorated with resist dye (tsutsugaki) with a Chinese lion amidst peonies. This subject recalls a legend in which only the strongest lion cubs that fall into a peony bush can climb out and survive. The lion was the king of beasts, the peony the queen of flowers. They often appear together in Japanese art to connote wealth, good fortune, bravery, and the balance between power and delicate beauty.
