Woman's Aigi (Inner Robe)
Edo period (1789–1868), late 1700s
Medium
Silk, satin damask weave; tye dyed; lining: silk, plain weave
Classification
garment
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
150960
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This white design on a red background was created by tying portions of the white silk fabric into tiny knots that resisted the red dye. Here, the tying creates a pattern of tea plant blossoms floating on stylized currents of water. Producing such an intricate pattern was labor intensive and costly. The use of the color red for inner robes and linings has a long history in Japan, where the flash of a woman’s undergarment or lining is considered enticing.
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...