google-site-verification: google615fe10ab62068fe.html
This meisen silk kimono showcases a bold, dynamic pattern that reflects the experimental spirit of Japanese textile design during the interwar period. The design features dramatic vertical wavy stripes in bright red separated by undulating yellow borders, all set against a rich black background. Scattered throughout are distinctive geometric star-like motifs with cruciform shapes, rendered in combinations of red, yellow, black, and white.
The meisen technique, which allowed for more affordable silk production and greater design freedom, is perfectly exemplified here. The slightly blurred, soft edges characteristic of meisen weaving give the pattern an almost screen-printed quality, creating gentle transitions between the bold color blocks.
This kimono strongly evokes several modernist art movements:
Art Deco is most prominently reflected in the geometric star motifs and the overall emphasis on bold, contrasting colors and angular forms. The repetitive patterning and strong vertical emphasis align with Art Deco's machine-age aesthetic.
Futurism appears in the dynamic, almost electric quality of the wavy vertical bands, which suggest movement and energy. The vibrant color palette and sense of visual rhythm echo Futurist interests in speed and modernity.
There are also hints of Constructivism in the geometric precision of the star motifs and the way positive and negative spaces interact throughout the composition.
The kimono represents a fascinating fusion of traditional Japanese garment construction with thoroughly modern, international design sensibilities. The bold color scheme of red, yellow, and black was particularly popular in graphic design and textiles of the 1930s, reflecting the era's embrace of machine production and synthetic dyes that could achieve such saturated, uniform colors.
Its measurements are approximately 51 inches from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 56 inches in height, or about 130 centimeters by 142 centimeters.