Kimono: Constructing Opulence
Presented by Tangerine Mountain Imports and Designs
Tangerine Mountain would like to thank AMKE staff and volunteers for this opportunity to present this exhibition to all attendees.
Photos and video are encouraged! Please appreciate the exhibition without touching.
Kimono: Constructing Opulence
Exhibition Thesis
If you went to a kimono salon in Japan, you might hear that it takes over a thousand processes to create a single kimono. Separate people usually perform each process—people who have dedicated their entire lives to mastering their craft. Often, these artisans are part of a long family chain, or they have trained at schools that have existed for hundreds of years. The result is textiles that are revered around the world for their opulence.
Of course, it’s easy to see the opulence in a wedding kimono glistening with hand-couched gold embroidery or the glorious detail of a Yuuzen-dyed crane on black silk. But each piece in this collection has hidden layers of opulence—elements that might be taken for granted if the viewer doesn’t know about those thousand processes and the artisans behind them.
Each piece in this exhibition represents layers and layers of work by different people, which challenges us to think: what is opulence, really? Is opulence defined by the finished work, or is it defined by the thousand methodologies used to create that work? Is opulence defined by wearing a fabulous kimono, or is it defined by the people whose specialized training resulted in that kimono?
Please enjoy this exhibition and feel free to ask any staff member questions about the many forms of opulence you see here.
Dedication
This uchikake was donated to Cheri Santellano by Shozo Sato, a living national treasure of Japan, in 2021. It was worn by Alice Ogura-Sato when she married Shozo Sato in 1975 in Champaign, Illinois.
Alice Ogura-Sato edited all of Shozo Sato’s books on Japanese culture and art before they were sent to the publisher for printing.
Sato-sensei taught sumi-e to Tangerine Mountain founder Cheri Santellano. During those classes, he encouraged Cheri to wear kimono and study Japanese art, even though she is not ethnically Japanese, was using a wheelchair, and hadn’t been physically able to create artwork for years because of her disability.
Sato-sensei was awarded the Order of the Chrysanthemum twice over, and shared photos of Cheri’s classes when he was presented with these awards by the Emperor of Japan.
Sato-sensei has been an integral part of the inspiration for the Tangerine Mountain in every aspect of our business. We dedicate this exhibition to him and his late wife.
For more information on Sato-sensei and his work, please visit http://japanhouse.illinois.edu
Item: Uchikake (Wedding Kimono)
Age: Circa Showa Period (1926-1989)
Materials: Silk
Techniques used: Yuuzen dye; hand couching; hand painting
Points to notice:
- Everything on this uchikake was hand crafted.
- Note the pine boughs. Those could have been stencil designed, but they were not. You can tell by looking at the large boughs that contain smaller details inside—those details are different in each bough.
- Hand couching is a technique done when threads are too thick to go through fabric. Metallic threads are created by wrapping foil around a thread core. These threads are laid atop the fabric and stitched down with tiny stitches in red thread.
- This uchikake is the most glorious example of hand couching in the entirety of Tangerine Mountain’s collection.
Item: Furisode Nagajuban (under-kimono) for a Wedding
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1926)
Materials: Figured silk; embroidered han eri (half collar)
Techniques used: Stitch-resist shibori, kanoko (fawn spot) shibori
Points to notice:
- Figured silk means that the warp threads are manipulated to create designs while the fabric is created—in this case, hemp motif.
- The small spots are called kanoko shibori. Threads are wrapped around the fabric in small areas, leaving a small peak, and dyed. The white areas are where the thread kept the dye from reaching the fabric.
- The large clouds were created by running a stitch in a cloud pattern, pulling the fabric tight against the threads, and then dyeing only the areas outside the stitch.
- Now consider that there are kanoko shibori spots within the red areas of the clouds. How did the dyer accomplish this?
- Cranes are embroidered on the han eri (half collar, used to create a layered effect along the neckline). Cranes are often associated with marriage because they mate for life.
Item: Antique Wedding Kimono
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1926)
Materials: Kinsha silk
Techniques used: Yuuzen dye work; hand embroidery; hand couching
Points to notice:
- The design is roughly a mirror image along the back seam. This is called ryouzuma. It was largely a Western Japanese phenomenon that fell out of favor around the 1930s. Can you spot areas where the mirroring is exact and where it is not?
- Yuuzen style dye work refers to rice paste resist dyeing. The large areas where the designs (cranes, landscape) appear were first blocked out with rice paste resist. The non-resist areas of fabric became black. The resist was washed off so that the rest of the work could begin.
- The fantastic landscape and beautiful cranes were created over multiple iterations of resist and detailed dye, all applied all by hand.
- Hand couching involves laying metallic thread along the top of the fabric and stitching it in place with tiny stitches, usually in red thread.
Item: Furisode
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1926)
Materials: Kinsha silk
Techniques used: Crepe weave, Yuuzen dye; hand couching; hand embroidery
Points to notice:
- Aniline dyes made it possible to create beautiful blue backgrounds. Dye is applied to create the background using a wide brush and increasing amounts of water as the color fades into an oyster-shell white/gray.
- Embroidery is used with a light touch on this kimono. Can you spot where it was used in the flowers? Why did the artist choose those areas to highlight?
- The hand couching is used to highlight three different types of design elements: fans, flowers, and the magic hammer (uchide no kozuchi), which is considered one of the seven lucky treasures of the seven lucky gods.
- This furisode is somewhat of a ryouzuma (mirror image kimono). Look at the shoulders for the best illustration of the concept.
- Some of the white on this kimono looks very opaque. It is made of gohfun, which is made with ground oyster shells. It’s extremely expensive, so this kimono was made for someone with a fair bit of money.
Item: Hikizuri (kimono with extra-long body panels, often used for odori (dance))
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1926)
Materials: Kinsha silk (twisted crepe silk)
Techniques used: Yuuzen dye work; hand embroidery; hand couching; paint; kumihimo braiding
Points to notice:
- Look at the details of the swirls within the pine boughs. This could have been done by stencil, but it wasn’t. Other areas might have been—can you spot them?
- A wide brush was used to paint in gold and orange over some areas in a horizontal stroke. What do you think that represents?
- In the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.), nobles would carry cypress-slat fans with delicate carving in each slat. Ribbons or cording would be threaded through the slats. In Japanese art, these ribbons and cords are often used to create movement within the composition.
- In this kimono, the slat fan cording is given a three-dimensional effect via kumihimo braiding.
- You can see more kumihimo elsewhere in this exhibit—look for colorful cords draped around. These are called “obijime” and they can be both decorative and functional, depending on how a person ties their obi.
Item: Summer Tomesode (formalwear for married women)
Age: Circa late Taisho to mid Showa (1920s-1960s)
Materials: Ro silk
Techniques used: Yuuzen dye work; embroidery; hand couching
Points to notice:
- This tomesode depicts the “floating world,” in which the viewer seems to be peeking through the clouds to see hints of the sumptuous scene below. How was the black background dye used to create the clouds?
- The scene depicts noblewomen of Heian Period Japan (794-1185 CE). Heian noblewomen were kept hidden, with only the multicolored layers of their juunihitoe (12-layer robes) visible trailing under or around screens or shades. Their marriageability was determined by how color-coordinated the layers were.
- Look the embroidery highlighting areas of the screens around the women. Not only is this an exquisite artistic decision, but ro silk is extremely delicate—and yet the embroidered fabric is very flat and even.
- Sometimes, ro silk weavers file their fingernails into sawtooth patterns to help them separate the threads as they weave.
Item: Kosode (an earlier form of the modern kimono)
Age: Circa Mid-Edo Period (1730s-1750s)
Materials: Kinsha silk (a lightly twisted crepe); cotton(?) wadding between layers
Techniques used: Hand embroidery; hand couching
Points to notice:
- The sleeves of this kosode are completely attached to the body, not partially detached like modern women’s kimono. At the time this kosode was created, obi were much narrower and more functional than the wide, decorative bands you see today.
- Some colors of dye demonstrate more long-term stability than others. Reds and purples tend to fade faster than other colors, especially with sun exposure. These dyes were also hard to make, so they were expensive. How does that compare to red and purple dyed clothing of today?
- If you study the roofs of the houses, you will see a great example of using one technique—embroidery—to mimic another: sumi-e ink painting.
- Some leaves and branches are hand couched. That means metallic foil thread was laid on top of the fabric and stitched down with tiny stitches. Why do you think this technique was used?
- This kosode was extremely expensive to make and was likely owned by a samurai family. Metallic thread of this period was typically created using precious metals like gold and silver, enabling the wearer to really show off their wealth.
Item: Maiko Kimono
Age: Circa Heisei Period (1989-2021)
Materials: Chirimen Crepe Silk (Heavily Twisted Crepe)
Techniques used: Yuuzen dye work; hand painting
Points to notice:
- This kimono is made of chirimen silk, meaning the threads are extremely twisted as they are woven, giving the fabric a luxurious texture.
- First, rice paste resist was used to create the areas that would later be dyed. Then the whole bolt was dyed pink. Only the areas that were touched with resist were not dyed.
- The resist was washed off and expert dyers used tiny brushes to create the watercolor effect in each flower petal and each tiny sprig of pine.
- Paint was added to highlight the outlines of some areas and to create a horizontal haze effect in places.
- Geisha and maiko pay strict attention to the motifs that are appropriate for each season, and even each micro-season. What season do you think this kimono represents? (Hint: don’t let the color fool you!)
Item: Darari Obi for Maiko
Age: Circa Showa Period (1926-1989)
Materials: Silk, rayon
Techniques used: Ro weave, damask weave
Points to notice:
- Darari obi for maiko are much longer than any other kind of obi. The most formal obi for everyday people is roughly 400 cm/4 meters long. Darari obi are 600 cm/6 meters long.
- These obi are also extremely heavy. They are tied in a musubi (knot) that drapes down the back.
- This obi is a summer weight obi, hence why the weave is striated.
- It is rare for maiko or geisha kimono, obi, and accessories to come onto the market. It is even rarer for summer weight items to come onto the market.
Item: Maiko Kimono
Age: Circa Heisei Period (1989-2021)
Materials: Chirimen Crepe Silk (Heavily Twisted Crepe)
Techniques used: Yuuzen dye work; hand painting
Points to notice:
- This kimono is made of chirimen silk, meaning the threads are extremely twisted as they are woven, giving the fabric a luxurious texture.
- First, rice paste resist was used to create the areas that would later be dyed. Then the whole bolt was dyed pink. Only the areas that were touched with resist were not dyed.
- The resist was washed off and expert dyers used tiny brushes to create the watercolor effect in each flower petal and each tiny sprig of pine.
- Paint was added to highlight the outlines of some areas and to create a horizontal haze effect in places.
- Geisha and maiko pay strict attention to the motifs that are appropriate for each season, and even each micro-season. What season do you think this kimono represents? (Hint: don’t let the color fool you!)
Item: Samurai-style Kakeshita Kamishimo
Age: Circa Showa Period (1926-1989)
Materials: Silk, rayon
Techniques used: Stencil dye work (kakeshita kamishimo), brocade weave (obi), damask weave (kimono)
Points to notice:
- Samurai were required to wear hakama and either a kakeshita (vest with triangular shaped shoulders) or a haori jacket as part of their “dress code.”
- Kamishimo means that the top and bottom pieces are cut from the same cloth.
- Stencil dye work was used to create the tiny patterns in the blue kakeshita kamishimo. You can see examples of stencils, called “katagami” around the exhibition—they look like brownish-red papers with lots of holes poked in them.
- Men’s obi can be expensive because the brocades are designed to be extremely sturdy.
- Samurai kimono sometimes had a middle section dyed into them that gives visual interest just above the obi.
Item: Hitatare Kamishimo
Age: Circa Showa Period (1926-1989)
Materials: Silk, rayon
Techniques used: Brocade weave
Points to notice:
- Archaeologists have found hitatare kamishimo-like garments carved into statues of court nobles going back to the 400s C.E. More than a thousand years later, samurai wore hitatare kamishimo as formalwear in court settings.
- The brocade weave in this kamishimo set is heavy and was intended to look just as expensive as it costs.
- The cut of these garments is different from kimono and modern hakama—older styles of hakama were more pant-like and the number of pleats varied. Hitatare sleeves are wider than kimono sleeves. Both garments have a cord running through them so they can be gathered.
Item: Men’s nagajuban (under kimono)
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1989)
Materials: Silk, rayon
Techniques used: Kinsha silk; hand dye work; stencil dye
Points to notice:
- The instrument in the front is a shamisen, a Japanese stringed instrument that is played with a fan-like pick held in the palm.
- The bunny jumping across the waves against the background of the moon is a fertility symbol. It comes from a Noh play called Chikubushima that takes place at Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake.
- The ethereal look of this piece evokes the mystical feeling of the play, in which a courtier encounters the goddess Benzaiten and the Dragon King of the Sea.
- The scenes in squares were created using stencil designs.
Higuchi Family Samurai Armor
The Higuchi were high-ranking retainers of the Sanada clan, based at Matsushiro Castle in present-day Nagano City. At the end of the Edo Period, the Higuchi were among the wealthiest retainers, with over 230 koku of rice. They participated in the Sanada clan’s support of the military and literary arts.
The Sanada clan was split during the time of the Battle of Sekigahara (October 21, 1600), with Sanada Nobuyuki siding with the Tokugawa, and his father and younger brother, Masayuki and Yukimura respectively, siding with the Toyotomi. After the defeat of the Toyotomi, Sanada Nobuyuki took over Ueda Castle and eventually, Matsushiro Castle.
Matsushiro Castle was built in the 16th century, and eventually came under the domain of the Sanada clan. The Chikuma River forms a moat on one side, and it had other earthen defenses. The Higuchi Family Residence is located very close by. The castle was ruled by the Sanada for 250 years. Today, you can see the ruins of the castle, and sections of it are under renovation to restore parts of it to their former glory.
This particular set of armor was created in the Edo Period (1603-1868), and is considered a full set. The toggles on the armor would have originally been made of bone or wood, but were replaced with plastic during its restoration. It was professionally restored in Japan in the early Showa Period (around the 1940s), and was acquired for the private collection of Tangerine Mountain Imports & Designs in 2017.
You can learn more about Matsushiro Castle, the Sanada clan, and the Higuchi Family residence at: https://www.sanadahoumotsukan.com/en/index.php .
Item: Kosode (an earlier form of kimono)
Age: Circa Mid-Edo Period (1750-1770)
Materials: Figured silk; cotton(?) wadding between layers
Techniques used: Figured weave; Yuuzen dye work; stencil dye techniques
Points to notice:
- Consider the sleeve structure of this kosode. As fashions changed and obi became wider, the sleeve of the kosode was stitched to be partially detached from the body to accommodate this width.
- Yuuzenzome is a paste-resist technique invented by Miyazaki Yuuzen in the mid- to late-1600s. It enabled artisans to freehand draw designs that were previously only achievable via time-consuming embroidery.
- Some areas have a lattice-like design in a reddish brown. This was created using a stencil and shows another way complex designs could be created quicker and cheaper than by embroidery alone.
- When new artistic and technological methodologies and techniques are developed, what do you think some of the results are?
Item: Komon (Everyday) Kimono
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1926)
Materials: Silk, rayon
Techniques used: Meisen Weave
Points to notice:
- The design looks blurred because the threads were dyed before they were woven—this technique is called meisen in Japan, and ikat elsewhere.
- Meisen can be single or double, depending on whether the warp, weft, or both sets of threads were dyed before being woven into their final form.
- The threads are temporarily woven and then dyed. The temporary threads are removed, and the final weave is performed. The threads shift during the final weaving process, creating the blurred effect.
- This style of weaving plus the use of bright aniline dyes really showcases the boldness of the Taisho Period.
Item: Furisode Kimono
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1926)
Materials: Silk
Techniques used: Stencil dye; hand couching; Yuuzen dye
Points to notice:
- While this piece is overall amazing, the stencil dye-work on this kimono is why we have included it in this exhibition.
- Consider just how many different stencils were used in the cloud areas. Why did the artist choose so many different shapes and motifs?
- What is the effect of using different stencils adjacent to each other?
- The style of clouds evokes the concept of the floating world, a method of depicting court life and other scenes viewed through the clouds.
Item: Ryouzuma Furisode
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1926)
Materials: Silk
Techniques used: Kinsha crepe weave; hand embroidery, Yuuzen dye work
Points to notice:
- Ryouzuma means that the kimono is mirror imaged. Most kimono are not as strict as this one is, though—it’s mirror imaged even in the sleeves.
- The Yuuzen dye work evokes a soft, dreamlike state. The dyer used watercolor techniques on each petal and leaf.
- Consider how dye was also used to create depth of field. Why do you think the artist chose to make the shadows deep green, and what effect do you think it creates?
- What effect does the embroidery have on highlighting the features of the florals?
- The designs of this kimono were concentrated in certain areas. In your opinion, is this kimono as opulent as some of the others in this exhibition?
Item: Child’s Kimono
Age: Circa Late Taisho to Early Showa Period (1920-1940)
Materials: Chirimen silk or rayon crepe
Techniques used: Crepe weave, printing
Points to notice:
- The colors on this kimono are bright and saturated because the designer used aniline dyes. These dyes were introduced in Japan around the 1860s from Germany and synthesized from coal tar.
- Taisho Period (1912-1926) kimono were marked by large, expressive designs in color combinations that showcased new, popular aniline dyes, and this continued into the early Showa Period (1926-1989).
- Note the small piece of blue near the right-hand fan-shaped gold clip. This kimono was repaired at some point. Since the kimono is wrapped with the left side over the right, this piece of patchwork would be covered up when worn.
- Thanks to synthetic dyes and printing, even middle class and lower middle-class families could afford trendy, vibrant kimono for their children. Still, it was important for families to be economical, hence the repair.
Item: Teen Komon (Casual Kimono)
Age: Circa Taisho Period (1912-1926)
Materials: Kinsha silk (twisted crepe silk)
Techniques used: Background dye; Yuuzen dye work; printing
Points to notice:
- The beautiful soft flowers were expertly printed. The all-over repeated design on this kimono indicates that it is considered a casual kimono, where printing would be a more acceptable technique.
- Areas of the printing were supplemented with hand dye work. This wasn’t in the floral areas, though—it was in the background!
- Look closely at the yellow vertical stripes. The stripes were likely printed in rectangles that were shorter than the finished design. The ends of the rectangles were hand dyed with fine brush strokes that interleave the yellow and orange and make it look like the kimono was hand dyed with a wide brush.
- Balls of flowers are a traditional style of floral bouquet in Japan.
Item: Houmongi
Age: Circa Showa Period (1926-1989)
Materials: Silk
Techniques used: Kinsha; figured weave; damask weave; Yuuzen dye
Points to notice:
- The areas of damask that are woven into this kimono were expertly done. It is extremely difficult to combine two different weaves in one bolt of fabric.
- The type of damask weave in this kimono was in vogue for fine kimono of the 1950s and 1960s.
- The ground dye creates an ombre effect. What kind of mood does this color scheme create for you?
- The dye work is very simple, yet it has a watercolor-like effect. How do you think the artist accomplished this, especially while layering the bamboo leaves?
- Does this kimono seem opulent to you at first glance?