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This chirimen silk kimono features a bold all-over pattern of oversized folding fans (sensu) rendered in vibrant yuzen-painting technique against a rich black ground. The design demonstrates the period's embrace of dramatic scale and graphic impact, with each fan displaying intricate floral motifs including peonies, chrysanthemums, and cherry blossoms in a palette of coral pink, turquoise blue, deep burgundy, and golden yellow, all enhanced with delicate gold foil accents that catch and reflect light across the silk's textured surface. The flowing ribbons and cords that connect and animate the fans create dynamic movement throughout the composition, transforming what could be a static repeat pattern into a lively, almost Art Deco-influenced design that reflects the era's modernizing aesthetic while maintaining traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
The symbolic richness of the fan motif carries deep cultural significance, representing not only the practical elegance of courtly life but also the concepts of expansion, good fortune, and the unfolding of life's possibilities—making it an auspicious choice for formal wear. The single family crest (mon) embroidered onto the garment serves as both a mark of ownership and social status, integrating seamlessly into the overall design while maintaining the wearer's connection to ancestral lineage. The sophisticated interplay between the geometric structure of the fans and the organic flow of the floral elements, combined with the masterful use of negative space in the black silk ground, creates a textile that bridges traditional Japanese aesthetic principles with the bold graphic sensibilities emerging in the early 20th century.
The measurements are 51 inches (130 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 62 inches (158 cm) in height.