ticketsMember | Make a donation

Outer Robe (Uchikake) with Mandarin Oranges and Folded-Paper Butterflies

late 18th–early 19th century
Not on view
The outer robe, or uchikake, was worn without a sash over a kosode on formal occasions. Originating in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) as a robe for highranking samurai ladies, it later was used more widely as formal winter attire. In traditional marriage ceremonies, an uchikake is worn over a wedding kimono. Extra padding is inserted into the hem to provide a seamless flow of the train.

Wedding uchikake are decorated with auspicious motifs, such as the folded-paper butterflies depicted here in pairs, male and female, to represent the newly wedded couple. Folded-paper butterflies attached to thin strips of paper were also used to adorn presents and may be the origins of this pattern. “Butterfly” in Japanese is pronounced chō, which sounds like the word for “long” (長), so the motif also symbolizes a long and happy marriage. The evergreen mandarin orange tree (tachibana) is executed in tie-dye (shibori) on a patterned black silk satin damask (rinzu) ground. Teal, red, and gold details are added in embroidery and gold couching.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 黒綸子地橘蝶熨斗模様打掛
  • Title: Outer Robe (Uchikake) with Mandarin Oranges and Folded-Paper Butterflies
  • Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
  • Date: late 18th–early 19th century
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Tie-dyed satin damask with silk embroidery and couched gold thread
  • Dimensions: Overall: 69 1/2 × 48 1/2 in. (176.5 × 123.2 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles-Costumes
  • Credit Line: Gift of Ilse Bischoff, 1976
  • Object Number: 1976.108
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Robe (Kosode) with Floral Roundels, Figured satin-weave silk with tie-dyeing, silk embroidery, and couched gold thread, Japan
Robe (Kosode) with Floral Roundels
Japan
ca. 1670s
Robe (Kosode) with Cherry Blossoms and Cypress Fence , Silk and metallic thread embroidery with resist dyeing on satin damask, Japan

Robe (Kosode) with Cherry Blossoms and Cypress Fence

Japan
second half of the 17th century
The Bodhisattva Jizō, Intan Japanese, Japanese cypress wood (hinoki) with polychrome pigments, gold paint (kindei), cut gold leaf (kirikane), and rock-crystal eyes, Japan
The Bodhisattva Jizō
Intan
1291
Robe (Kosode) with Shells and Sea Grasses , Embroidery and gold leaf on plain-weave silk patterned with warp floats, Japan

Robe (Kosode) with Shells and Sea Grasses

Japan
early 17th century
Six Jewel Rivers , Sakai Ōho Japanese, Six handscrolls; ink, color, and gold on silk, Japan

Six Jewel Rivers

Sakai Ōho
ca. 1839

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.