Robe of stencil dyed (bingata) cotton, Shuri, 1800-1870

Kimono made entirely of cotton, resist-dyed and stencilled ('bingata') in colours with a pink ground. Two different cottons are used, one on the outside and one to form the lining, inside collar and facings. The kimono has broad straight sleeves and is slightly flared from the shoulders. It is not fastened in any way. The cotton on the outside of the kimono has a design of diamond-shaped compartments on a pink ground with a daisy-like flower at each point. In each compartments is a floral motif in two or three colours. The lining is dyed in a more vivid pink and left in resist are small floral motifs in white, overprinted with red and blue.

Shuri, Ryūkyū Islands.

This cotton robe was made and worn in Okinawa, the largest of the islands in the Ryûkyûan archipelago that stretches to the south of mainland Japan. Until 1879, when it became part of Japan, the islands were an independent kingdom. Robes such as this were worn only by members of the Ryûkyûan royal family. The pattern - flowers on a pink ground of leaves - has been created using stencils and bright mineral pigments. This technique is known as 'bingata'.

T.296-1960