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2. Rare Summer Silk Yuzen Hand Painted Girl's Kimono Kyoto, Japan Late Meiji Era (1868 - 1912), ca 1870s-1880s Rare Silk Gossamer Weave Typical Size for a Formal Child's Kimono would be approximately 34" across x 41" tall. |
This is one of the best examples of a young girl's Formal Kimono - bright, colorful and cheerful. It has been hand woven of "Summer Silk" which, according to the rules of the Japanese dress code, could only have been worn in 3 of the summer months: June, July and August. The brilliant motif has been hand painted using the "Rice Paste Resist" technique in a design that includes many auspicious symbols: the Crane ("Tsuru") which represents good fortune and, oftentimes, longevity as legend has it that it takes the Crane 1000 years to fly to the sun; the stylized Pine ("Matsu") which reinforces the desire for long life; the drifting Clouds ("Kumo") which carry the significance of elegance and high status; and the Chrysanthemums ("Kiku") which have long been associated with the Imperial Family. Because of the strong red background color, the design is much more prominent. In the Orient, red has often been associated with the ritual (many bridal costumes are red) of the warding off of evil. It is also considered a color of excitement and passion and has become such an important part of everyday Japanese life that it is the color of their personal signature or seal. The Family Crest (“Mon”) appears 5 times on the shoulders and back of the garment and indicates that it was to be worn for formal occasions. The Crest is that of the Water Plantain ("Omodaka") encircled by one of the most graceful and intricate of the traditional Japanese design motifs, the Wisteria or "Fuji." The Water Plantain is also known as the "Shogunso" or Victory Plant and is wildly admired in Japan. This stunning Kimono represents the most intricate of the silk gossamer weaves known as "Karami Ori." It is called "Ro" and is distinguished by strips of densely woven material separated by an open weave; hence, this rare gauze fabric creates a strong, beautiful and cool "Summer Silk." The design was created through the Rice Paste Resist technique which required that each individual color be applied separately, while all the remaining colors must first be painted out in the rice paste. This is an extraordinarily difficult, time consuming, labor intensive artistic process that often took months to accomplish. This extraordinary Kimono is of the highest quality and in excellent condition. It is obvious that this Kimono could only have belonged to a young woman of high social standing and wealth as portrayed by the fabric, the design and the family crest. Itemcode: 4322 Detail: Main Kimono Design Motifs Detail: Close-up |