This striking hand-painted watercolor is an original and distinctive artwork from Japan, dating to the late Taisho to early Showa period (1920–1940). Created by a professional textile artist, this piece served as a precise design template for the yuzen resist-dyeing technique, intended to mimic the fashionable "kasuri" or blurred-effect look of popular Meisen silk textiles. Measuring 9 inches by 17 inches (23 cm x 43 cm), the work remains in very good condition, showcasing the avant-garde geometric sensibilities that defined the Art Deco movement in pre-war Japanese fashion.
The composition is a sophisticated arrangement of abstract motifs set against a deep chocolate-brown ground. The design is dominated by large, scalloped forms resembling stylized flower petals or clouds, filled with a dense "cross-hatch" pattern in white, ochre, and brick red. Interspersed among these are sharp hexagonal shapes with glowing white centers, adding a structured architectural rhythm to the piece. The most distinctive feature is the use of fine horizontal "striae" or "noise" lines across the entire image, a deliberate artistic choice to simulate the texture of woven ikat threads. A bold diagonal band cuts across the frame, creating a sense of dynamic movement essential for a garment intended to wrap around the human body.