This chirimen silk kimono, set against a rich burgundy ground, features gracefully stylized carnation or dianthus blossoms rendered in soft pink and coral tones, their petals delicately outlined and enhanced with gold foil highlights that catch and reflect light with luxurious subtlety. The flowing, curvilinear composition demonstrates the influence of Art Nouveau's organic forms, while the sophisticated color palette and the precise silk-screening technique reflect the period's embrace of both artistic refinement and industrial innovation.
The floral motifs carry deep symbolic resonance within Japanese culture, where carnations represent maternal love, admiration, and the fleeting beauty of life—themes that align perfectly with traditional Japanese aesthetic concepts of mono no aware, the poignant awareness of impermanence. The flowers' graceful arrangement across the textile creates a sense of natural movement and growth, as if captured in a gentle breeze, while their repetitive patterning establishes a rhythmic visual harmony that complements the kimono's flowing silhouette. The use of gold foil accents not only adds material luxury but also serves to elevate these botanical forms into something approaching the sacred, reflecting the Japanese appreciation for finding profound beauty in nature's ephemeral moments.
The chirimen crepe silk's characteristic textured surface provides an ideal foundation for this design, its subtle irregularities creating depth and visual interest that enhances the organic quality of the floral motifs.
There's light patina staining on the upper inner lining, which remains hidden when worn or displayed. Its measurements are approximately 48 inches (122 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 57 inches (145 cm) in height.