VIntage kimono textile art " Wish for prosperity " by ikasu Gold, Black, Japan

This work uses an antique tomesode (festive kind of kimono) with fern design to evoke feelings of tranquility, harmony, and appreciation for the beauty of the environment. Can be used both vertically and horizontally. It is elegantly framed with paulownia wood originally used for kimono chest-of-drawers, and is filled with storytelling and sense of luxury. I used pieces of kimono that could no longer be used as clothing and kiritansu chest-of-drawers that would normally be discarded to create the ultimate upcycled piece. << Explanation of colors and patterns >> In Japanese traditional culture, ferns, particularly the Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum), hold several meanings and symbolisms: ・Elegance and Beauty: Ferns are admired for their graceful, delicate appearance and intricate leaf patterns. In Japanese aesthetics, they are appreciated for their natural beauty and are often used in gardens, landscapes, and floral arrangements to add a sense of refinement and elegance. ・Resilience and Perseverance: Ferns are known for their ability to thrive in diverse environments, including shady forests, rocky cliffs, and damp soil. Their resilience in the face of challenging conditions is seen as a symbol of endurance and perseverance. In Japanese culture, ferns may represent the ability to overcome adversity and flourish despite obstacles. ・Connection to Nature and Tranquility: Ferns are native to forested areas and are often associated with the natural world. In Japanese traditional culture, they symbolize a deep connection to nature and the importance of maintaining harmony with the environment. The lush green foliage of ferns evokes feelings of tranquility and peacefulness, making them popular motifs in Zen gardens and traditional landscape paintings. ・Purity and Simplicity: Ferns are emblematic of simplicity and purity in Japanese aesthetics. Their unassuming beauty and understated elegance reflect the principles of wabi-sabi, an aesthetic worldview that values imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity. Ferns may be used in tea ceremonies, Ikebana (flower arranging), and other traditional arts to evoke a sense of tranquility and appreciation for life's fleeting moments. Overall, ferns in Japanese traditional culture symbolize elegance, resilience, connection to nature, purity, and simplicity. Their presence in art, literature, and landscape design underscores their enduring significance as symbols of natural beauty and spiritual resonance. << Characteristics of the fabric >> This vintage textile is hand-painted with a traditional Japanese technique called "yuzen". << About the frame >> Kiritansu - chest-of-drawers for kimono, is traditionally made from paulownia wood, a uniquely Japanese material closely tied to the world of kimonos. Paulownia wood is known as the lightest wood in Japan, prased for its natural luster, resistance to moisture, and resilience against cracking. Since ancient times, it has been used in crafting furniture, chests, and musical instruments. During the Edo period, it became customary to store cherished kimonos in paulownia chests...

This work is inspired by traditional Japanese nature colors symbolism, and is framed in paulownia wood originally used for a kimono chest-of-drawers. It is filled with storytelling ...

<< Story behind the work >> Obi fabric I used for this artwork is taken from three different over 100-years-old antique sashes, and is framed in wood taken from antique chest-of-dra...

This work is a glorious nod to buddhist temples circle windows, with beautiful Japanese garden scape seen outside. Golden leaf on the border of a frame is an expression of light goin...

BEAUTIFUL JAPANESE SILK KMIONO, MEIJI. In colorful floral, foliate, and landscape motif, length from collar to bottom of hem 61 inches, width from shoulder to shoulder 50 inches. Sta...

A vintage Japanese silk Kuro Tomesode Kimono, circa 1950s-1980s. Kuro Tomesode is a dress for married woman for the most formal occasions, equivalent of the evening gowns in the west. It is overall black, decorated only with patterns of bright colors on the bottom. This kimono has three Mon family crests on the front and back shoulder. It is lined with white silk in its interior. On the front, it features exposed white stitches around neck and breast, a very subtle and elegant touch. The bottom part of the kimono is decorated with an embroidery imagery of two phoenix in flight. The lavish use of gold and polychrome threads and meticulous rendition of the birds contrast greatly with the otherwise sober black background. Pheonix is the mythical bird traditionally represents the Queen or Female Supreme in Chinese culture. Known as Hoo-oo in Japanese, Pheonix is a symbol of good fortune, power and divine wisdom and represents the sun goddess Amaterasu, the Queen of Heaven and Creation, who was believed to be the ancestor of the lines of the Japanese imperial family...

A large and striking Japanese outer cloak for Noh performance (known as Choken) circa 19th century (late Edo to early Meiji period). The robe was woven from a natural bast-fiber (kno...

A Japanese textile panel with embroidered picture work circa late Meiji period (1900s) presented in a gilt wood frame with silk mat. The work de...