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This chirimen silk kimono features orizuru motifs, rendered through masterful yuzen painting techniques and accentuated with delicate gold foil outlining, appear to float across the rich burgundy ground in a composition that demonstrates both the period's embrace of asymmetrical design principles and its connection to centuries-old cultural practices. Each paper crane is depicted with remarkable attention to the geometric precision of origami folding, yet the yuzen technique allows for subtle gradations of color and pattern within each form that transform these symbolic objects into painterly studies of light, shadow, and dimensional space.
The artistic approach reveals strong influences from both traditional Japanese screen painting and the international Art Nouveau movement's emphasis on stylized natural forms and flowing compositions. The cranes' seemingly random distribution across the garment creates a sense of movement and spontaneity that recalls the migration patterns of actual birds, while the careful balance of scale and color density demonstrates the sophisticated spatial awareness characteristic of Japanese design philosophy. The deep plum ground provides dramatic contrast that allows each crane to achieve maximum visual impact while maintaining the overall harmony essential to traditional Japanese aesthetics, creating an effect that is both dynamic and serene.
The detailed views showcase the technical virtuosity involved in the yuzen process, where resist-dyeing techniques create crisp edges and controlled color transitions that give each crane a sense of dimensional weight despite being rendered on flat textile surfaces. The integration of decorative patterns within individual crane forms—visible in the floral and geometric motifs that appear to be printed on the "paper" of each origami bird—creates a meta-textile effect where fabric imitates paper that has been decorated with fabric-like patterns. This sophisticated layering of visual references, enhanced by the gold foil outlining that catches and reflects light, transforms the garment into a meditation on the relationship between craft, symbol, and artistic expression that perfectly captures the cultural sophistication of early 20th-century Japanese textile arts.
While in good condition, it bears minor smudges, stains, and light patinas. Measuring 50 inches (127 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at a height of 59 inches (150 cm).