Kimono

This kimono depicts Arts and Crafts–period ceramic plates decorated with galleons. The subject reflects the popularity of collecting ceramics, specifically Western plates, among wealthy Japanese during the early 20th century. On the right panel of the body of the kimono, the motifs are upright, while the motifs on the left side are inverted; this is the result of the kimono having been cut from a single bolt of fabric. A kimono is constructed without a shoulder seam; as a result, the inverted motifs on the back appear upright on the front.