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This silk satin kimono features a striking composition of white cranes positioned among delicately rendered pine trees against a deep black ground, executed through the masterful yuzen dyeing technique combined with freehand painting. The cranes are depicted in various poses - some standing gracefully among the pine boughs, others captured mid-flight - with meticulous attention to their feathered forms and elegant proportions. The pine trees, rendered in gold and cream tones, display the characteristic needle-like foliage and gnarled branches that speak to their symbolic representation of longevity and steadfastness.
The motifs carry profound symbolic weight in Japanese culture: cranes (tsuru) are revered as symbols of longevity, good fortune, and fidelity, often associated with the belief that they live for a thousand years, while pines (matsu) represent endurance, immortality, and constancy through all seasons. Together, these elements create an auspicious composition befitting formal or ceremonial wear. The artistic style reflects the influence of traditional Japanese painting schools, particularly the naturalistic approach seen in bird-and-flower (kachō-ga) paintings.
Adorned with five "mon" (family crests), it has slight padding along the hem and edges. Measuring 36 inches (91 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end, it stands at 32 inches (81 cm) in height.