This powerful hand-painted watercolor is an original and distinct artwork from Japan, dating to the Late Taisho to Early Showa period (1920–1940). Measuring 16 inches by 12 inches (41 cm x 30 cm), this piece was specifically crafted by a Japanese artist to serve as a technical blueprint for yuzen resist-dye work on a silk kimono. The artwork remains in very good condition and exemplifies the "modern-heroic" aesthetic that reimagined traditional samurai symbols with bold, graphic sensibilities for early 20th-century fashion.

The composition is set against a striking teal-blue ground featuring a large, central zig-zag or saw-toothed band in pale grey, which provides a dynamic, architectural backdrop. Floating across this field are various warrior motifs, including a cluster of fletched arrows with intricate feather patterns, a large ornamental key-like object with red stippling, and a decorative tassel or brush-like form. The palette is sophisticated and grounded, utilizing rust-red, ochre, and slate grey, while the fine detail in the feathers and the corded elements of the bow demonstrates the high level of precision required for yuzen craftsmanship.

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