Furisode
Taisho period (1912–26), c. 1920
Japan
Japan
This striking furisode is patterned entirely with pine trees, an auspicious symbol of long life. The greatly enlarged pine needles are stylized to the point of taking on a triangular form. The exaggerated size of the pine needles reflects the early-20th-century style of patterning kimono with enlarged designs, a revival of the Genroku style (1688–1704). Gold and silver leaf and embroidery add to the rich surface of the kimono.
Silk, plain weave with creped weft (chirimen); resist dyed (yuzen-zome); stamped gold and silver leaf over adhesive (inkin); embroidered with silk, rayon and gold-leaf-over-adhesive-on-paper-strip-wrapped rayon, rayon padded satin stitches; Lined with silk, plain weave