Overview

picture No.1
Uchikake (Formal Outer Robe) with Wrapped Bouquets in Yûzen Dyeing on Parti-Colored Satin (Rinzu)

This gown, along with the uchikake (formal outer robe) with a design of bamboo blinds and partition curtains, is part of a bridal outfit ordered for the wedding of a Kyoto woman in 1924 (Taishô 13). Reputedly made by the hand of a prominent Kyoto dyer of the time, the garment evokes the magnificence of the wedding ceremony of a wealthy Kyoto merchant.

The flower bouquets on this garment are wrapped in folded paper (J., noshi) as exchange gifts. While the motif is traditional, the bold parti-colored ground and bright shades in the realistic depiction of the flowers eloquently express the Taishô-period (1912-1926) trends in dyed designs.

picture No. 9
Uchikake (Formal Outer Robe) with Bamboo Blinds, Partition Curtains, and Cypress Fans in Yûzen Dyeing and Embroidery on Black Satin (Rinzu)

This robe was part of the same traditional-style bridal costume ordered for the wedding of a woman in Kyoto in 1924 (Taishô 13) as the uchikake (formal outer robe) with a design of wrapped bouquets. Similar to many uchikake dating from the late Edo period, this robe is decorated with designs reminiscent of the Heian (794-1185) culture, such as bamboo blinds, partition curtains, and cypress fans. Motifs from the Heian court not only expressed elegance and sophisticated taste, but also functioned as motifs of good fortune.