Kimono
1850-1880 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This kimono has been embroidered with an image of dragons, the most powerful of all mythical beasts, flying above Mt Fuji, the quintessential symbol of Japan. The striking red silk ground makes the image all the more dramatic. This potent and dynamic imagery is unusual for a woman's kimono, but it is possible that this garment belonged to a high-ranking courtesan. At some point in its history, the kimono has been altered; it has been shortened and a dark collar and hem added, possibly because of damage caused by wear. The sleeves have been attached to the body of the garment the wrong way around, so the design is not continuous. Rather than being a mistake, this may be the result of a humourous Meiji-period fashion for such visual ambiguity.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Embroidered silk satin (<i>shu</i>) |
| Brief description | Kimono of red satin silk, embroidered with dragons and Munt Fuji, Japan, 1850-1880 |
| Physical description | Kimono of red silk satin (shu) with design of dragons and Mount Fuji embroidered in silk and metallic thread. At some point the kimono has been altered; it is shortended and a dark colour and hem have been added. The hem is padded and the whole is lined with red silk. There is a Japanese label attached inside the left sleeve arm. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | (Mr. Robinson, Metalwork, tried to decipher the label, but it did not appear to have any significance. It is probably a trade label.) |
| Credit line | Hughes Gift |
| Object history | The donor stated that the kimono had been given by a Japnese 'nobleman' to a member of his family who lived in Japan in the early 1880s |
| Subject depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | This kimono has been embroidered with an image of dragons, the most powerful of all mythical beasts, flying above Mt Fuji, the quintessential symbol of Japan. The striking red silk ground makes the image all the more dramatic. This potent and dynamic imagery is unusual for a woman's kimono, but it is possible that this garment belonged to a high-ranking courtesan. At some point in its history, the kimono has been altered; it has been shortened and a dark collar and hem added, possibly because of damage caused by wear. The sleeves have been attached to the body of the garment the wrong way around, so the design is not continuous. Rather than being a mistake, this may be the result of a humourous Meiji-period fashion for such visual ambiguity. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.72-1957 |
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| Record created | February 25, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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