Vintage Black Kurotomesode Kimono With Hand-Embroidered Figures & Flowers

Details

Description

A museum-quality black chirimen kurotomesode from the Meiji or Taisho period, featuring exceptional hand-embroidery and weaving depicting two figures in … Read more A museum-quality black chirimen kurotomesode from the Meiji or Taisho period, featuring exceptional hand-embroidery and weaving depicting two figures in traditional dress surrounded by chrysanthemums and cascading maple leaves. Rich color palette of cream, soft blue, and autumnal tones. This kimono has been professionally shortened to 51 inches, making it wearable for collectors of average height. A significant example of early 20th-century Japanese textile artistry.

This is a formal kurotomesode—the most prestigious type of kimono, traditionally worn by married women to weddings and ceremonial occasions. The black silk ground serves as a backdrop for exquisite pictorial embroidery concentrated on the lower sleeves and hem, a hallmark of refined Showa-era craftsmanship.

The Design:
Two figures in traditional costume (rendered in cream, pale blue, and warm earth tones) are set within a narrative landscape. Delicate chrysanthemums and other flowering plants surround them, while maple leaves in sunset colors cascade across the composition—an unmistakably autumnal scene. The hem features a decorative wave or water pattern in cream embroidery. Multiple small diamond-shaped family crests (kamon) sit on the chest.

The Craftsmanship:
The precision of the figural embroidery—especially the dimensional shading in the faces and garments—shows skilled hands at work. The combination of embroidery and weaving technique demonstrates the level of investment this piece once represented. The black fabric remains rich and well-preserved, with minimal age wear. See less