Charcoal Silk Juban: Silkscreened Warriors & Dragons

This man's silk short under-kimono (juban) is a captivating example of narrative textile art. The garment is rendered in a deep charcoal-grey silk, providing a somber, architectural field for its intricate, high-contrast imagery.

The all-over silkscreened motifs feature a rhythmic, dense pattern of stylized figures and mythical creatures. These ivory-colored illustrations depict archers, warriors with spears, and long-bodied, dragon-like beasts amidst a swirling field of clouds or vine-like scrolls. The fine, graphic lines of the silkscreening give the composition a sense of continuous energy, reminiscent of traditional scrolls but reimagined with mid-century technical precision. Because this is an under-garment, these bold, heroic scenes were intended as a hidden form of personal expression, visible only at the edges of the outer kimono or when the wearer was in a private setting.

measuring 50 inches from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 33 inches in height (127 cm x 84 cm).

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