A Four Panel Resist Dyed Noren: Two Family Crests

early twentieth century65" x 55", 165 cm x 139.5 cm This is a hand stitched, four panel, resist-dyed cotton noren, a noren being a traditional curtain that acts as a shop sign or a kind of cover for an entrance way, depending how the noren is used.   When noren are used as shop signs they are hung in the doorway of a business to announce the shop is open, however they also provided a barrier between the dust and chaos of the street and the inside of the shop or home. Additionally noren incite some sort of psychological effect by delineating a transition between outside and inside. This particular one is dyed in indigo and has a soft, warm-toned blue color. The design is charming. It shows a border design at top, a kind of Chinese-inspired "Greek key-ish" pattern under which sits two very abstractly-designed family crests. The noren is slightly faded from wear, it shows some surface wear and there are a few, sharp but small stains, shown on the detail photo which accompanies this post.