Formal kimono with design of autumnal red persimmons Paste-resist dyeing (Yuzen) and gold leaf imprint on dark blue silk crepe (chirimen)
This is a formal kimono produced by Tameji Ueno in1936. The dark blue material is covered with a bold design of branches of ripe persimmons. The style was considered extremely innovative at the time, as it combined Yuzen dyeing and gold leaf imprinting to produce a more three dimensional impression. Ueno's avant-garde influences are reflected both in his choice of subject matter, as persimmons had not previously been used, and his use of techniques learned from his study of oil painting.
In 1936, with the February 26 incident and Japan's withdrawal from the London Disarmament Conference, the move to fascism accelerate. Tension in Europe was increasing with the formation of the Berlin-Rome axis. Although the term, 'semi-war structure' became fashionable, the Japanese people were still excited by the 11th Olympic Games held in Berlin, and the successes of such athletes as Naoto Tajima in the triple jump, Kitei Son in the marathon, and Hideko Maehata, Tetsuo Hamuro and Noboru Terada in swimming. This pattern of ripe persimmons seems to symbolize the transitory delight people felt amidst the general anxiety. In this context, this costume has substantial historical significance.
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Formal kimono with design of autumnal red persimmons
Paste-resist dyeing (Yuzen) and gold leaf imprint on dark blue silk crepe (chirimen)
Created in 1936 by Tameji Ueno, holder of an 'Important Intangible Cultural Asset'
