Summer Kimono with Pine Lozenge and Cherry Blossoms
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.This summer kimono appears composed of three different fabrics, but this is in fact an effect created by skillful dyeing. After the application of the patterns with stencils, the ramie ground was dyed with indigo, leaving the motifs in white reserve. On the back shoulder area, a vertical stripe combines with a pattern of straight bamboo stalks, while the lower section of the robe features horizontal stripes. A large pine-lozenge motif with scattered cherry blossoms occupies the center. Ramie, also called “China grass,” is a fiber-yielding plant of the nettle family (Urticaceae). Known for its high quality and soft touch, ramie fabric (karamushi) is often used for summer clothing. It is produced primarily in Fukushima prefecture.
Artwork Details
- 浅葱木綿地松皮菱桜模様着物
- Title: Summer Kimono with Pine Lozenge and Cherry Blossoms
- Period: Meiji period (1868–1912)
- Date: early 20th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Ramie with stencil paste-resist dyeing
- Dimensions: 59 1/2 × 48 1/2 in. (151.1 × 123.2 cm)
- Classification: Costumes
- Credit Line: Promised Gift of John C. Weber
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art