Short c. early 19th century

drawing, textile

pattern heavy

drawing

pattern

asian-art

textile

fashion and textile design

japan

pattern design

geometric

repetition of pattern

regular pattern

pattern repetition

textile design

decorative-art

imprinted textile

layered pattern

combined pattern

This anonymous, early 19th-century "Short" is an example of Japanese textile art, showcasing a traditional "kimono" garment. The piece features a vibrant blue background adorned with repeating patterns of stylized cherry blossoms and a crisscrossed latticework in a reddish hue. The intricate design and the soft, flowing lines of the "kimono" reflect the delicate beauty and refined craftsmanship of traditional Japanese textiles. This piece is a beautiful example of the artistic tradition of "kimono" design and serves as a window into the fashion and cultural practices of early 19th-century Japan.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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This short upper garment is worn in combination with a skirt, called kakan. Together they comprise the formal attire of an Okinawan commoner; an aristocrat would have added a richly decorated outer robe. The pattern here is of plum blossoms against a swastika (manji) ground. The swastika, a symbol of divinity in Indian religions, arrived in Japan with Buddhism from China after 700CE. The left-facing form of the symbol represents the auspicious footprints of the Buddha. European pagan and North American Navajo traditions also adapted the swastika; in Pueblo culture, it represents wind. Its right-facing form, however, was appropriated by the National Socialist German Workers’ (Nazi) Party, and for many people its spiritual origins are overshadowed by its associations with German ultra-right nationalism and white supremacy ideology. This garment is arguably the exhibition’s most outstanding example of bingata, the process of stencil dyeing with resist paste. The dyework is exceptionally detailed and fine, as seen in the sharpness of the swastika pattern and the delicate shading achieved in the colors of the plum blossoms.