Kosode with design of towboats on the Yodo RiverDyeing and embroidery on purple gray figured silk crepe (chirimen) The last quarter of the eighteenth century (Mid-Edo period) Design attributed to Katsukawa Shunsho

This kosode is believed to have been produced during the Temmei / Kansei era in the last quarter of the 18th century. As a result of increasing use of a wide obi after the middle of the 18th century, and the gradual shift toward the back when tying the obi, greater importance was placed on the lower half of the garment when designing kosode patterns. The preference for larger hairstyles necessitated more frequent use of ornamental hair pins, and to offset this emphasis the kosode increased in length and consequently trailing skirts became commonplace. This led to the development of patterns at the hem. The back of the kosode became more attractive, with patterns depicted on it, but the front of the kosode became rather simple. A subsequent development was a design composition called Edo-zuma (Edo skirts), in which the pattern at the hem covers the tate-zuma (lower edge of neckband to lower edge of the overlap). During the 1770s and 1780s this style was very popular, and has been handed down to today as a distinctive design composition.

This work demonstrates a typical Edo-zuma kosode. It depicts a scene in which a boat is moving upstream on a river. This gorgeous kosode is an excellent piece of work comprising a pattern entirely reserved in white, which is embellished with delicate ink painting and embroidery with gold thread. It is believed that the under drawing was designed by Katsukawa Shunsho, a renowned Edo ukiyo-e painter.

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Kosode with design of towboats on the Yodo River Dyeing and embroidery on purple gray figured silk crepe (chirimen)

The last quarter of the eighteenth century (Mid-Edo period)Design attributed to Katsukawa Shunsho