Ainu Coat (Kaparamip)
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.Traditionally, garments of the Indigenous Ainu people from what is now northern Japan were made from the fur and skin of deer, bear, and other animals, as well as from salmon skin and, later, plant fibers. However, cotton, which could not be grown in the region, was introduced through the extensive trade of used cotton clothing from central Japan, around the mid-Edo period (1615–1868). From their creative recycling of used fabrics, the Ainu people developed a distinctive style. One of the most striking types of Ainu robe is the cotton ruunpe. The ground fabric, typically dyed a dark indigo, was embellished with additional cotton pieces usually taken from old Japanese clothing. These now-faded cutouts of bright red and white were appliquéd onto ruunpe robes with vividly colored, decorative stitches. Areas subject to heavy wear, such as around the neck, cuffs, and hem, were reinforced with appliqué as well. The robe’s complex geometric patterns were thought to have talismanic qualities that protected the wearer.
Artwork Details
- 色裂置紋木綿衣 ルウンぺ
- Title: Ainu Coat (Kaparamip)
- Period: Meiji period (1868–1912)
- Date: early 20th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Cotton, appliqué, and decorative stitches
- Dimensions: 49 1/4 × 50 1/4 in. (125.1 × 127.6 cm)
- Classification: Costumes
- Credit Line: Promised Gift of John C. Weber
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art