Framed Vintage Japanese Kimono in White Silk and Embroidery

Artistically framed for display in a slight shadow frame with non-reflective pixie glass, these pair of embroidery art panels from Japan are dated circa 1910-1930s, end of Meiji to early Taisho period. This period was the peak of the Japanese oversea expositions, when all things Japonisme took Europe and America by storm and left long-lasting impact on western art and design. The influence, however, was clearly not one-directional; As when Japanese artists, artisans and dealers experienced western art, it in turn inspired and impacted on the aesthetics of the Japanese art made for the western tastes. An interesting crop of art forms quickly emerged with a particular outlook that bridged the east and west, with the fundamental techniques still rooted in Japanese traditions. These rare hyper-realistic embroidered portraits were such an example. They took the essential format of the western portrait that permeated the Victoria and Edwardian Society, but substituted with exotic Japanese subjects and executed in traditional embroidery techniques which had been perfected for centuries by the natives. The two portraits on offer, one an elder man with long white beards and a pair of round spectacles lighting a pipe, and the other a grinning man with a peasant attire, were both set in black background, stimulating an appearance of Classic western oil painting or perhaps even the photograph. The fine stiches were maneuvered into an impressively hyper-realistic imagery that was far removed from the traditional Japanese embroidery...

A Japanese formal Kimono made with a very fine black linen gauze augmented with applied modern circle pattern. The garment was hand-stitched and dated to circa 1930-50s. The black ga...

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 vintage Japanese silk Kuro Tomesode Kimono, circa 1960s-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 lavish woven design with embroidery accents that depicts a group of pheasants among peonies and other blossoms along a flowing stream. Great contrast in the colors and attention to details. An very elegant textile for wall...

A vintage midcentury red color silk brocade collectable Japanese ceremonial wedding kimono. One of a kind handcrafted . Fabulous museum quality ceremonial piece in pure silk with ...

A vintage Mid-Century ivory color silk brocade collectable Japanese ceremonial kimono. One of a kind hand crafted. Fabulous museum quality ceremonial piece in pure silk with intricat...

Late 19th century Chinese silk embroidery rank badge textile, with a finely detailed dragon along with other various symbols embro...

In the most technical sense of the word, "Suzani," in Central Asia and Iran, means needle and is used to describe this type of needlework, but to most people, such as decorators or c...