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Uchikake

A work made of silk, plain weave with creped wefts (chirimen); stenciled and resist dyed (yûzenzome: utsushinori, hikizome, bokashizome) with gold leaf, chalk and sumi ink painted details; embroidered with silk and silver-foil-on-paper-strip-wrapped rayon in knot, single satin and satin stitches; lined with rayon, plain weave.

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  • A work made of silk, plain weave with creped wefts (chirimen); stenciled and resist dyed (yûzenzome: utsushinori, hikizome, bokashizome) with gold leaf, chalk and sumi ink painted details; embroidered with silk and silver-foil-on-paper-strip-wrapped rayon in knot, single satin and satin stitches; lined with rayon, plain weave.

Date:

Shôwa period (1926–1989), c. 1935

Artist:

Japan

About this artwork

The backs of the sleeves on this uchikake (outer robe) feature a design of lacquer boxes nestled among flowers. Boxes like these were used to store the pieces for the shell-matching game (kai-awase), in which the two-sided interior of a clamshell has been painted with a scene from literature or a poem and then separated. The game is played by matching the paired halves—an appropriate motif for this wedding kimono. The array of flowers is also auspicious and includes chrysanthemums as well as peonies amidst plants of all seasons.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Title

Uchikake

Place

Japan (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1920–1940

Medium

Silk, plain weave with creped wefts (chirimen); stenciled and resist dyed (yûzenzome: utsushinori, hikizome, bokashizome) with gold leaf, chalk and sumi ink painted details; embroidered with silk and silver-foil-on-paper-strip-wrapped rayon in knot, single satin and satin stitches; lined with rayon, plain weave

Dimensions

173.8 × 125.3 cm (68 3/8 × 49 3/8 in.) Shoulder to hem length: 166.4 cm (65 1/2 in.) Sleeve length: 105.8 cm (41 5/8 in.) Collar back to hem length: 94 cm (22 3/4 in.) Width at hem: 57.7 cm (22 3/4 in.) Sleeve length: 33 cm (13 in.) Width of center front panel hem overlap: 15 cm (5 7/8 in.) Width of collar band: 7.2 cm (2 7/8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mary V. and Ralph E. Hays

Reference Number

1999.635

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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