Painted, printed and gold-embroidered silk crepe kosode Japan 18th 19th century

Rare short-sleeved Furisode or Kosode from the late Edo period, ancestor of the Kimono. Long fleece dress with crossed fronts and slightly rounded sleeves, lined with coral red silk pongee. Deep grey silk crepe, printed (Chirimen), painted, embroidered with polychrome silk and applied with curled golden cords with a silk core. The pattern is non-repetitive, the result of a Japanese artist who composed this scene with aquatic symbols of waterfalls, waves and waves. The scene features a wealth of flora, including water lilies, bamboo and auspicious symbols. The paintwork, resist printing, floche silk embroidery and gold embroidery are absolutely remarkable in their finesse of execution. There are a few small stains on the coral edging at the bottom of the dress, but otherwise there are no holes or other stains, and the silk is in impeccable condition! Despite its age, it is in very good condition, both in terms of colour and conservation.

Size: Large size. Sleeve width 129 cm, sleeve length 32 cm, height 178 cm, Kosode circumference 148 cm.

The kosode was worn in Japan as an everyday garment from around the time of the Kamakura period (1185-1333) until the final years of the Edo period (1603-1867), when its proportions diverged to resemble those of today’s kimono; it was also at this time that the term “kimono”, meaning “thing to be worn over the shoulders”, was first used to refer to the garment formerly known as the kosode.