Stencil cutters, katagami
The stencil cutters of Japan
The craftspeople who cut paper stencils for dyeing kimono cloth.
On Picturepops™ cards · 15
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Carp in Wavesby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Irises (Katagami)by an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Maple Leaves on Waterby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Wavesby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Swallows and Willowby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Cherry Blossomsby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Bamboo in Falling Snowby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Cranesby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Gourds on a Checkerboardby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Pineby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Wine Cups on Wavesby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Folding Fansby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Carpby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Maple Leaves on Hemp Leafby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00 -
Shippoby an unknown Japanese stencil cutter$13.00$18.00
The life
Katagami are paper stencils for dyeing cloth. Their makers glued thin sheets of Japanese paper together with persimmon juice, which made them strong and brown, then cut the pattern through with fine knives and punches. A dyer laid the stencil on silk and pushed rice paste through it; the paste kept the dye out, and the pattern stayed pale. The craft takes its name from Ise, in today’s Mie Prefecture, where it is still practised. The Met’s stencils behind our cards name no maker, so we know these artists by their work.