This exquisite silk irotomesode features magnificent white cranes with red-crowned heads, their wings dramatically spread as they soar through a twilight sky rendered in gradations of deep blue to lighter azure. The birds are positioned against a dreamlike seascape where dark rocky outcroppings emerge from swirling, stylized waves and clouds that cascade in organic, flowing patterns across the lower portion of the kimono.

The yuzen-painting technique, enhanced with delicate embroidered details, creates a sense of movement and fluidity that echoes the sinuous lines characteristic of Art Nouveau, while maintaining the spatial relationships and color harmonies fundamental to Japanese design. The cranes, known as tsuru in Japanese culture, carry profound symbolic meaning as harbingers of longevity, good fortune, and marital fidelity—making this garment particularly appropriate for the celebratory occasions where irotomesode would be worn. The misty, ethereal quality of the seascape, with its swirling motifs and atmospheric perspective, suggests the influence of both traditional Japanese painting techniques and the period's fascination with capturing transient natural phenomena.

Measurements:  49 inches (125 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at 60 inches (152 cm) in height.

This artwork is featured on page 102 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.

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