Over Robe (Uchikake) with Curtain of State Design
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.This elegant over robe (uchikake, a garment worn over a kimono without an obi sash) was probably made for the wedding of a wealthy merchant-class woman. It has a red crepe silk lining, a padded hem, and long sleeves appropriate for a young lady. The white, figured silk damask has a woven pattern of mandarin oranges, an auspicious symbol of longevity, and is embellished with so-called curtains of state (kichō), which also bear auspicious symbols. These portable curtains, featured frequently in The Tale of Genji, provided privacy for aristocratic women, who were not supposed to be seen. Wedding uchikake were often made in sets of three, including white, red, and black garments. The red robe from this set is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the black one is lost.
Artwork Details
- 白綸子地几帳模様打掛
- Title: Over Robe (Uchikake) with Curtain of State Design
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: early 19th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Figured silk damask with paste resist-dyeing, tie-dyeing, silk-thread embroidery, and gold-thread couching
- Dimensions: 67 1/2 × 48 1/2 in. (171.5 × 123.2 cm)
- Classification: Textiles-Costumes
- Credit Line: Lent by Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art