Safflower-colored kimono made in Yamagata Prefecture, late 19th-early 20th century
Unknown Japaneseexpand_more
Cloth: hemp; safflower dye (beni)expand_more
The John R. Van Derlip Fund and the Mary Griggs Burke Endowment Fund established by the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation; purchase from the Thomas Murray Collectionexpand_more 2019.20.92
Not on Viewexpand_more
This plain-weave robe would have been worn by a young urban woman in summer, when the lightness and breathability of the hemp fiber would be most appreciated. It is dyed a vivid scarlet-pink hue called beni, or safflower, a plant originally used to dye textiles in vibrant oranges and reds. Introduced to Japan from China, the safflower plant (benibana) was widely cultivated, particularly in Yamagata Prefecture, in the northeastern part of Japan. One garment could require as much as 12 pounds of flower petals. Because the process was labor intensive and costly, the use of beni often fell under local sumptuary laws—legal codes that reserved the use of certain materials for the nobility. In the Meiji era (1868–1912), chemical dyes supplanted beni as the preferred scarlet dye.
Details
- Title
- Safflower-colored kimono made in Yamagata Prefecture
- Role
- Maker
- Accession Number
- 2019.20.92
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Murray et al. 2018, pl. 42
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.