Meisen Summer Kimono with Dragonflies
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.The dragonfly (tonbo) featured on this unlined summer robe is one of the oldest motifs in Japan, symbolic of patriotism, courage, and good fortune. Samurai warriors considered the dragonfly the victory insect because of its agility and perceived fearlessness. Thriving in watery rice fields, it was also believed to be a sign of a good harvest. Dragonflies appear in various art forms in Japan but became particularly prominent in the bold designs of early twentieth-century kimonos, reflecting the influence of the Western Art Nouveau movement. Their seasonal association made dragonflies appropriate for summer kimonos such as this one. The design was created by dyeing warp threads with three stencils in three colors before weaving. The wefts are tightly twisted to create texture. The contrast of the very dark blue ground with teal and undyed dragonflies gives the image depth, as does the overlapping of the insects’ tails and wings.
Artwork Details
- 紺地蜻蛉模様銘仙単衣
- Title: Meisen Summer Kimono with Dragonflies
- Period: Shōwa period (1926–89)
- Date: ca. 1940–45
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Plain-weave silk warps with twisted dupioni silk wefts in unraveled ikat (hogushi-gasuri)
- Dimensions: 62 3/4 × 47 3/4 in. (159.4 × 121.3 cm)
- Classification: Costumes
- Credit Line: Promised Gift of John C. Weber
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art