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Obi

Japanese

Artwork Details

Obi
20th century
Japanese
silk, brocade
12 in x 153 in (30.48 cm x 388.62 cm)
Gift of Howard and Patricia Yamaguchi
2013/2.374

Description

Subject Matter:

The dark red Tatewaku mon represents rising steam indicated by the swirling lines.  The center of the swirling lines are damask and Karahana mon, stylized Chinese flower motifs created during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in China and arrived in Japan alongside Buddhism during the Nara Period (710-794).

Fukuro Obi is double-layered  single sided obi in which two separately woven surfaces and back pieces of cloth are stitched together. This type of obi is typically only worn at weddings or other formal occasions. Gara refers to the orientation, arrangement, and surface area of the patterns and pertains to a specific trend and obi tying style. In the Zentsuu gara type, the obi is entirely covered with designs, patterns, and motifs. The versatility of this patterning allows for a variety of obi tying styles.

Physical Description:

Textured light brown Fukuro (single sided) obi with a repeating interwoven dark red floral damask pattern.

Usage Rights:

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