Japanese Textile Art

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DESCRIPTION: A Japanese woman's most formal Kimono is the black "Tomesode" with the requisite Family Crests or "Mon." It receives its name from the length of its sleeve, the ultimate arbitrator of a woman's age in Japanese society. The Tomesode which was the name of the shorter sleeve also became the name of the actual garment itself. It distinguishes the married woman or older unmarried woman from the young who traditionally wear the "Furisode" (swinging sleeves) which is brighter, bolder and attracts attention to the wearer, something a married woman would not want to do. This elegant garment portrays a calm, composed and dignified presence with a subdued sophistication representative of the responsibilities of social adulthood.

It has been hand painted using the Rice Paste Resist method of painting on Silk. This process required that each color be applied separately, while all the others were painted out in the rice paste. Each time a new color was added, the rice paste had to be removed by soaking it out over and over again in the local river water and then reapplied. This technique required a great amount of skill by the artist as well as being extremely labor intensive. Natural dyes were used on a rare crêpe like hand woven Chirimen Silk weave that has not been utilized by the Japanese since the 1800s, as the weaving process has been lost. It has been highlighted with Silk Embroidery.

The decoration is a gorgeous rendition of paired Cranes ("Tsuru") who are most known for their fidelity in marriage and good fortune. They stand beneath the stylized Pine ("Matsu") which represents longevity, and among the glorious blossoms of the Peony ("Botan") symbolizing nobility. The Family Crest is that of the Oak ("Kashiwa") Tree which has long been regarded as the dwelling place of the protective gods of the forests. It was one of the more popular crests among the Samurai class. This would indicate that the woman who wore this stylish Kimono was a married woman of high status and wealth who would have been able to commission such a marvelous Kimono from such a skilled artisan.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Japan

TYPE TEXTILE: Elegant, fully lined Tomosode or Married Woman's Kimono.

APPROXIMATE DATE OR PERIOD: Mid Meiji Era (1868-1911)

FABRIC CONTENT and CONDITION:

FINISHED SIZE: 46" across x 58" tall

PRESENTATION: Extraordinary textile art to hang or enclose in a Plexiglas frame; or, under the most elegant of events, to wear.

A Certificate of Authenticity is included.

PRICE: $850

TTAC will personally pack and ship via UPS at company expense within the continental U.S.