This is an extraordinary example of a sha (gauze) chirimen silk hitoe summer kimono, featuring meticulously woven carp motifs that demonstrate both exceptional technical skill and remarkable attention to artistic integrity.

The kimono displays various types of symbolic carp scattered across a rich teal background. The fish are rendered in different colorations that carry specific meanings: kohaku (white with red spots) representing career success, kumonryu (solid black) symbolizing life transformations, ogon (solid silver) indicating business prosperity and wealth, and kuchibeni (white and red) representing love and lasting relationships. This symbolic program would have made the garment particularly auspicious for the wearer.

The close-up images reveal the sophisticated weaving technique used to create these carp. Each fish is constructed through an intricate supplementary weft system that creates a pixelated or mosaic-like effect, with tiny individual threads building up the forms with remarkable precision. The scales, fins, and facial features are all clearly defined through this meticulous process, demonstrating the weaver's extraordinary skill in handling the challenging sha gauze structure.

What makes this kimono truly exceptional is the artist's unprecedented attention to design continuity across the garment's construction. The hand-painted completion of carp motifs that were interrupted by seam lines represents an almost unheard-of level of craftsmanship and artistic dedication. This practice transforms what would typically be accepted as a minor design discontinuity into a seamless artistic whole, indicating this was likely a commission piece of the highest quality. This level of perfectionism reflects the period's growing appreciation for Western concepts of unified artistic composition while maintaining traditional Japanese textile excellence.

Measuring 49 inches (124 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at 60 inches (152 cm) in height

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