Object class: Cushions / Culture or time period: Asian cultures / Materials: Rice straw - Hearst Museum Portal Search Results

Start Over Object class Cushions Culture or time period Asian cultures Materials Rice straw

Hearst Museum object titled Back cushion, accession number 9-23025, described as Long and narrow back cushion woven from rice straw ("wara") in a horizontally-plaited pattern. Two shoulder carrying straps extend from top in gradual V-shape, slightly diverging; at their culmination, straps become V-shaped braids; braids combine into single braid that gradually thin into cords. Cords attach to lower half of cushion along sides. Horizontal straw plaits wrap over sides to form soft, thick, rounded edges. Cotton rag woven into cushion on side that lies against wearer's back: multicolored pieces at bottom edge; braided purple, blue, and whitish rag along the middle; and black and white rag vertical along straps at base with single horizontal strip of rose pink cotton rag. Outside or "front" of cushion features loose, flattened, untwisted straw extruding from plaited straw in criss-cross design and a horizontal strap made from cord looped through lateral cords and tied together in the center. length - 28.5", width - 10", thickness - 1.5

Hearst Museum object titled Back cushion, accession number 9-23021, described as Long and wide rectangular back cushion woven from rice straw ("wara") and linden bast ("shina") with slight widening along the middle latitudinally. Shoulder straps fold over and attach to lower half via thick braided cord. Horizontal braid woven continuously along entire body and shoulder straps; single-plait braid along edges form seam. Pieces of cotton rag of various colors are woven into horizontal braids at bottom (red and black), midpoint (blue), and straps (red). Straw and cotton cord in a T-shape connects the straps to one another and to the body of the cushion. length - 28", width - 11.5", thickness - 1.5

Hearst Museum object titled Back cushion, bandori, accession number 9-23029, described as Traditional Japanese bandori woven entirely from rice straw ("wara") with some cotton rag woven into the base of the carrying straps and cords attaching them to bottom "rim" of object. Tag indicates that the rice straw is woven in "neko" style; straw is braided vertically with the appearance of parallel plaits, yet the braid is continuous. Weave continues around the sides of the bandori without any break or seams. This creates a funnel shape with opening at either end. One end is "sewn" shut, while the other becomes the mouth of the bandori, where items may be carried. Two braided shoulder straps the length of the basket taper into cords that are attached to the bottom "rim.

Hearst Museum object titled Back cushion, bandori, accession number 9-23023, described as Traditional Japanese bandori intricately woven from linden bast ("shina"), sedge ("suge"), wild grapevine bark ("budo"), and cotton rags. The two shoulder straps are made of braided sedge interwoven with strips of black and maroon cotton rag. The straps are spaced barely 1.5" apart; at ends of straps, braid tapers into sedge cords attached at either side of cushion to loops made of wild grapevine bark. Cushion where it rests against back is U-shaped with vertical central opening; this inside layer of cushion is made from strands of rice straw lying taut side-by-side in a radial pattern. At the edge these strands continue into a single-plaited seam, with two thinner, parallel seams of grapevine bark. A net made from grapevine bark lies flat against the outside or "front" of the cushion and covers the central opening; a horizontal strap runs the entire width of the cushion, made of disparate strips of wild grapevine bark pushed through a central vertical loop. length - 27.5", width - 9.75", thickness - 2.5

Hearst Museum object titled Back cushion, neko, accession number 9-23036, described as Back cushion and basket, or "neko," woven from rice straw ("wara").

Hearst Museum object titled Back cushion, senakaate, accession number 9-23024, described as Long and wide rectangular Japanese back cushion, or "senaka-ate," woven entirely from rice straw ("wara"). Parallel shoulder carrying straps are spaced 4" apart and 16" long, with two braided loops at their culmination. The cushion narrows slightly at the bottom. The weave pattern is uniform, with flat, horizontal bunched straw "warps" and straw cords acting as vertical braided "wefts"; the bunched straw "warps" wrap over the sides to form soft, rounded edges. Precise date and location of acquisition unknown. length - 51", width - 15.5", thickness - 0.5

Hearst Museum object titled Back cushion, senakaate, accession number 9-23028, described as Long, rectangular back cushion, or "senaka-ate," woven from rice straw ("wara") and consisting of two "sides" or layers. One side is 8 1-inch single-plait braids wide, lying vertically side-by-side with slight separation. They are joined by a single cord pushed through braids horizontally at their vertical midpoint. The other side of the cushion feature a basket weave: bunches of untwisted/unbraided rice straw form "warps" held in place by thin braided "wefts" spaced at roughly 5" intervals. These braids become untwisted, loose straw along the top. Entire cushion is encircled by braided "rim." Two straw cords attached at opposite points along sides form carrying shoulder straps; these cords are pushed through bottom of cushion just above rim and knotted together on opposite side. length - 22", width - 11", thickness - 1.5

Hearst Museum object titled Back cushion, senakaate, accession number 9-23020, described as Narrow, rectangular back cushion, called "senaka-ate," woven from rice straw ("wara") and made in the same shape and style as the "bandori" back cushions of the Shōnai region of Yamagata Prefecture. Shoulder straps are horizontally braided with pieces of cotton rag interwoven with rice straw at their culmination; straps are attached to lower half of bandori via rice straw cord. Rounded, U-shaped bottom with narrow strands of straw forming an unwoven "cushion" where the bandori rests against the back. Outside or "front" of bandori consists of a horizontally plaited weave. length - 26", width - 8", thickness - 2.25