Accession Number
1930.39

Title
Kimono Fragment, with Stenciled Design of Chrysanthemums, Hemp-leaf Flowers, and Snowflakes

Artist(s)
Japanese

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1860-1912

Medium & Support
silk crepe (chirimen) with paste-resist designs

Dimensions
22 1/8 in x 18 1/8 in x 3/16 in (56.2 cm x 46.04 cm x 0.48 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Label copy
Chirimen is a heavily textured silk crepe with a puckered and ribbed surface. It was introduced to Japan from China in the sixteenth century, and came into prominence in the late seventeenth century with the development of paste-resist dyeing techniques. In paste-resist dyeing the design is either drawn freehand or stenciled onto the fabric, in a thick paste that seals the fabric against the dyestuff. After the dye has set, the fabric is washed vigorously in cold water. The paste dissolves, leaving a design in white. Paste-resist stencil dyeing allows for mass production, and was therefore frequently used in textiles for commoners in early modern times. The tiny circle motifs in this fragment are an imitation of tie-dyeing, a much more labor-intensive process.
Exhibited in "Japanese Costumes & Ceramics, Past & Present," October 2001-February 2002. Maribeth Graybill, Senior Curator of Asian Art

Physical Description
A red kimono fragment, with white stenciled design of chrysanthemums, hemp-leaf flowers, and snowflakes.

Primary Object Classification
Textile

Primary Object Type
fragment

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
flowers