鼠平絹地梅樹模様着物|Kimono with Blossoming Plum Tree
Unknown Artist
second half of the 19th century
Medium
Plain-weave silk with resist dyeing, ink, pigments, silk and metallic-thread embroidery
Dimensions
Overall: 62 × 49 in. (157.5 × 124.5 cm)
Classification
Costumes
Culture & Period
Japan · Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Victor R. King, 1976
Accession Number
1976.281
Art Historical Context
This exquisite kimono, titled *Rat Gray Plain-Weave Silk Ground with Plum Tree Pattern* (鼠平絹地梅樹模様着物), hails from Japan's Meiji period (1868–1912), a time of profound transformation as the nation modernized while cherishing traditional crafts. Crafted in the second half of the th century, it measures an impressive 62 × 49 inches, to drape elegantly on the body. The design features blossoming plum trees enduring symbol in Japanese culture of resilience and renewal, as these hardy flowers bloom early in winter, heralding spring amid adversity. Artistically, the kimono showcases masterful techniq...