This silk kimono demonstrates the revolutionary impact of silkscreen printing technology on Japanese textile design, transforming traditional motifs through industrial production methods that allowed for bold, graphic interpretations of classical themes. The design features stylized bamboo stalks rendered in golden brown against a deep forest green ground, with cascades of white cherry blossoms created through densely packed circular forms that blur the line between naturalistic representation and abstract pattern-making. The silkscreen technique enables a level of precision and uniformity in the repetitive circular elements that would be nearly impossible to achieve through hand-painting, while the subtle variations in the blossom clusters—some incorporating tiny touches of coral and rose—add visual interest and prevent the mechanical regularity from becoming monotonous.
The composition reflects the period's embrace of modernist sensibilities while maintaining connection to Japan's aesthetic heritage, with the vertical rhythm of the bamboo creating strong directional movement that guides the eye across the garment's surface. The symbolic pairing of bamboo and cherry blossoms carries traditional associations of resilience and ephemeral beauty, themes that resonated particularly during this era of rapid social and technological change. The silkscreen medium allows for bold areas of saturated color and sharp contrast that give the design a distinctly contemporary feeling, suggesting influence from Art Deco and other international design movements that were filtering into Japanese decorative arts during this period.
It measures 48 inches (122 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end, with a height of 59 inches (150 cm).