This formal haori presents a striking example of traditional Japanese textile design with elements evoking Art Nouveau's fascination with natural forms. The garment features an elegant composition of yuzen painted paulownia (kiri) leaves and flowers against a rich black rinzu background. A unique aspect of this haori is the matching paulownia pattern in the rinzu background, mirroring the yuzen-painted foreground. This exceptional attention to detail and harmony in design creates a subtle layered effect that rewards close inspection.

The paulownia motifs are rendered in a palette of soft, naturalistic colors - burgundy, pale blue, mint green, and cream - with the leaves showing careful attention to botanical detail while maintaining a stylized aesthetic.

The two circular crests, rendered in in meticulous embroidery, display phoenix motifs in a distinctive circular composition. These  crests are positioned with formal precision that contrasts beautifully with the more organic arrangement of the paulownia elements.

The composition demonstrates the Japanese principle of "ma"- the artistic use of negative space - with the black background playing an active role in the design rather than serving as mere backdrop. The overall effect achieves a perfect balance between formal elements (the large crests)and naturalistic designs (the paulownia), exemplifying the sophisticated design principles of Japanese textile art during this period.

The placement of the motifs creates a dynamic asymmetrical balance that draws the eye across the garment, while the scale of the elements - from the large, bold leaves to the delicate flower sprays - shows masterful control of proportion and space.

Dimensions: 50inches (127 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 41 inches (104 cm) in height.

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