Page 349 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

208 Uchikake cocks and large blooming peonies. Pea-
embroidery and kanoko shibori cocks and peonies formed a favorite
on figured satin auspicious motif, symbolic of beauty and
l. 17i.8(6 7) plenty. Running water flows through the
W. 12O.O (46 3/4) design, from top to bottom. Against the
Edo period, i8th century green dyed background, the design is com-
posed chiefly of a sharply defined, white
Tokyo National Museum
reserve pattern executed by the skilled ap-
The uchikake, a woman's outer garment plication of dye-resistant paste. This tech-
worn unbelted over the kosode, first ap- nique, known as shiro age, was a typical
peared in the Muromachi period; in the feature of yùzen dyeing of the latter part
Edo period women of the samurai class be- of the Edo period. The design is high-
gan to wear formal uchikake on an or- lighted throughout with embroidery in
nately embroidered background of white, red, gold, and other colors. KS
red, or black. This example is made of red
figured satin (rinzu). The design consists of 270 Kosode
cherry blossoms and bamboo screens amid yùzen (resist-paste) dyeing and
conventionalized cloud-scrolls. On the embroidery on silk
back of the robe one of the screens is deco-
rated with a kind of pomander ball known 1. 174.0 (67 7/8)
as a kusudama. Embroidery is the chief W. 126.O (49 */&)
technique employed to execute the de- Edo period, i9th century
signs, with gold-leaf-covered thread used Nomura Collection,
on the clouds and screens, although some National Museum of Japanese
of the cherry blossoms are depicted with History,
clusters of dots in the kanoko shibori resist- Chiba Prefecture
dyeing process (cat. 267).
The design suggests one of the most Save for the shoulder area, a design of
beloved of Japanese pastimes—a cherry- rafts with flowers tossed on the waves cov-
blossom viewing party, with the partici- ers all of this light blue silk crepe (chiri-
pants protected from vulgar gazes by the men) kosode. The theme of rafts with
lightweight bamboo screens. Clouds drift- flowers was favored by women of the
ing among the cherry blossoms refer to a court and samurai aristocracy for their
perennial Japanese literary conceit, ex- clothing; in this example the rendering of
pressed in scores of poems: an "elegant the design is already quite stylized.
confusion" as to whether it is cherry blos- The waves and spray are depicted by
soms or clouds one is looking at. KS the shiro age technique, reserved from the
blue dye with dye-resistant paste; the
crests of the waves are embroidered with
269 Furisode gold-leaf-covered thread. Borne on the
yùzen (resist paste) dyeing and rafts are cherry blossoms, irises, narcissus,
embroidery on silk peonies, wisteria, and chrysanthemums,
6 7/8
1.166.3 ( 4 ) depicted by a variety of methods: reserved
W. 124.2 (48 3/8) in white, dyed in indigo and purple in
Edo period, iQth century stenciled kanoko dots, with embroidery in
Tokyo National Museum red, purple, light green, and gold. The ru-
inous cost of kanoko shibori, besides plac-
The furisode (swinging sleeves) is a type of ing it beyond the means even of many
kosode distinguished by sleeves that hang samurai, actually brought about its prohi-
free of the main body of the garment, be- bition by the shogunate in sumptuary laws
low the arm. Although in the early part of that were sometimes harshly enforced.
the Edo period the sleeves of the furisode Stenciled kanoko, being far easier to exe-
were not especially long, they gradually in- cute, was neither exorbitant nor illegal: in-
creased in length so that by the latter half stead of binding each spot individually
of the period, sleeves as long as ninety cen- with dye-proof fiber, the dyer would resist
timeters (c. thirty-five inches) were made. an entire motif with paste applied through
The furisode was worn on special occa- a stencil; after the dye had dried and the
sions by children and young women. This paste had been removed, the dyer might
refined example could have been worn by simulate true kanoko by painting in the
a woman of the samurai class. The fabric tiny central dot of background color by
is a type of silk crepe called chirimen. Its hand. The placement of the design on the
textured matte surface lent itself well to garment, the use of the shiro age yùzen
the delicate detailed designs created by technique, and the densely stitched em-
yùzen dyeing. broidery are characteristic of the later part
The uppermost portion is dyed a solid of the Edo period. The purple embroidery
green. Beneath, a refreshing design runs floss was probably dyed with a chemical
diagonally across the garment: pine and pigment. KS
maple trees occupy the upper half while in
the bottom half are male and female pea-

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