This exquisite kurotomesode represents the pinnacle of Japanese formal textile artistry, showcasing masterful yuzen painting on lustrous kinsha silk. The composition features three elegantly rendered cranes (tsuru) positioned beside a stylized stream, their graceful forms captured with remarkable naturalistic detail enhanced by extensive gold metallic highlights.

The artistic execution demonstrates exceptional skill in the yuzen technique, particularly evident in the detailed close-up of the crane's head, where subtle gradations of white and gray create dimensional modeling, while the red crown is rendered with luminous intensity. The artist has employed gold accents throughout to highlight feather textures and add a sense of divine radiance to these sacred birds.

The most striking aspect of this piece is the artist's bold decision to render the flowing water in deep red rather than the conventional blue. This dramatic departure from traditional iconography transforms the entire symbolic meaning of the composition. In Japanese culture, red water could reference several auspicious concepts: the sacred vermillion associated with Shinto shrines, the life-giving flow of prosperity, or perhaps a reference to autumn maple leaves reflected in water, creating a seasonal connection to abundance and transformation.  This sophisticated color choice elevates the garment beyond conventional formal wear into the realm of highly symbolic ceremonial dress, likely created for a particularly significant occasion where the deviation from tradition would carry deep personal or cultural meaning.

The garment has a padded hem and five mon (family crests). It measures 51" from sleeve-end to sleeve-end x 64" height (129.5 x 162.6 cm).

Previously published in the publication Art Kimono: Aesthetic Revelations of Japan, 1905-1960, p 109

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