This exquisite hand-painted artwork is an original and unique creation from Japan, dating to the Mid-Showa period (1945–1965). Measuring 12 inches by 27 inches (30 cm x 69 cm), this piece was masterfully crafted by a Japanese artist in Kyoto’s world-renowned Nishijin district using paint on thick paper. The artwork is in excellent condition and served as a precise technical template for transposing its intricate motifs onto a high-end woven obi.

The composition is a symmetrical masterpiece set against a lush emerald-green ground, featuring large-scale, kaleidoscopic floral mandalas (karabana). The central medallion is a complex radial arrangement of layered petals in vibrant shades of vermilion, cobalt blue, ochre-yellow, and violet, all anchored by a shimmering gold-painted core. Surrounding the primary mandalas is a delicate, secondary pattern of lighter green scrolling vines and smaller floral crests that follow a rhythmic diamond lattice. The meticulous detail in the petal shading and the use of gold-toned paint provided essential guidance for the Nishijin weavers to translate these colors into heavy silk and metallic brocade.

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