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This late 20th-century silk furisode represents the culmination of traditional Japanese textile artistry, presenting a symphonic composition that celebrates the full spectrum of classical seasonal beauty through masterful yuzen-painting and lavish gold foil application. The deep navy ground serves as a dramatic stage for an elaborate procession of motifs that span the Japanese aesthetic calendar - cascading wisteria suggesting late spring's gentle melancholy, cherry blossoms embodying ephemeral beauty, peonies representing summer's lush abundance, and plum blossoms heralding winter's promise of renewal. The addition of decorative fans and flowing stream patterns creates layers of cultural reference, with the fans suggesting refined courtly leisure and the water motifs providing visual continuity that unifies the diverse floral elements into a coherent landscape of luxury.
The composition demonstrates sophisticated understanding of asymmetrical balance, with major motifs positioned to create visual flow that guides the eye around the garment while maintaining areas of restful negative space. The extensive use of gold foil highlights, visible in exquisite detail in the close-up image, elevates every element to jewel-like brilliance, creating a surface that would have shimmered and caught light with every movement of the wearer.
This furisode embodies the cultural confidence of Japan's economic prosperity during the period, when traditional crafts experienced renewed appreciation and investment. The technical virtuosity required to execute such complex yuzen-painting, with its precise color gradations and intricate detailing, represents hundreds of hours of skilled artisanal labor. The butterfly motifs scattered throughout the composition add symbolic layers of transformation and joy, while the overall design philosophy reflects the Japanese concept of mono no aware - the bittersweet awareness of the impermanence of all things - by capturing and preserving the fleeting beauty of seasonal flowers in permanent textile form, creating a wearable meditation on natural cycles and temporal beauty.
Its measurements span 51 inches (130 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and stand at 64 inches (163 cm) in height.