This exceptional uchikake represents a masterful synthesis of traditional Japanese textile artistry and refined aesthetic sensibilities. Executed on a luxurious rinzu damask base that subtly reveals large fan and paulownia motifs within its weave structure, the garment demonstrates the sophisticated layering of decorative techniques that characterizes the finest Japanese formal wear. The primary design features yuzen-painted and sumi-e style plum blossoms (ume) rendered with remarkable naturalistic detail, their delicate branches extending gracefully across the white silk ground in asymmetrical composition.

The artistic execution reveals clear influence from the Rimpa school tradition, particularly echoing the work of Sakai Hoitsu, whose early 19th-century designs established new standards for naturalistic floral representation in textile arts. The plum blossoms are depicted with botanical accuracy yet poetic sensibility, their branches rendered in subtle gradations of gray and brown ink wash techniques adapted from classical painting. The flowers themselves showcase exquisite dimensional embroidery work, with golden thread centers creating tactile richness and visual focal points throughout the composition. The family crests (mon) are executed with exceptional precision, their circular forms providing rhythmic punctuation points that enhance the overall design harmony.

The symbolic significance is deeply layered and seasonally appropriate - plum blossoms represent perseverance, hope, and renewal as they bloom in late winter, making them particularly meaningful for ceremonial occasions. The paulownia motifs woven into the base fabric add imperial associations, as this plant has long been associated with nobility and good fortune in Japanese culture. The technical achievement is remarkable, combining multiple textile arts including resist-dyeing, painting, and embroidery to create a garment that functions as both ceremonial dress and wearable art

Measurements:  48 inches (122 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at 62 inches (157 cm) tall

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This artwork is featured on page 73 of Art Kimono: Aesthetic Revelations of Japan, 1905-1960. This book, published by Yorke Antique Textiles, can be previewed or purchased on our website here.

and in Arts of Asia, January-February 2018, 132

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