This meisen silk kimono features a dramatic checkerboard pattern alternating between coral-red striped rectangles and dark charcoal squares, creating a strong geometric framework that reflects the period's fascination with modernist grid systems and Art Deco aesthetics. Overlaying this structured foundation are naturalistic roses rendered in soft cream and pale yellow tones with blue-green foliage, creating a compelling tension between the rigid geometric background and the organic floral motifs that seem to float freely across the surface.
The meisen weaving technique, which allowed for complex multi-colored patterns through pre-dyed warp and weft threads, was perfectly suited to this type of intricate design that required precise registration between the geometric and floral elements. The roses themselves demonstrate Western botanical influence, moving away from traditional Japanese stylized flowers toward more realistic depictions that suggest European garden varieties. This juxtaposition of Western florals against a modernist geometric grid reflects Japan's complex relationship with international culture during this period, where traditional craft techniques were employed to create distinctly contemporary aesthetic statements. The overall effect creates a visual dialogue between order and nature, structure and freedom, that speaks to the broader cultural negotiations taking place in Japanese society as it balanced traditional values with modern international influences. The sophisticated color palette of coral, charcoal, cream, and teal demonstrates the technical advances in synthetic dyes that allowed meisen producers to achieve such complex polychromatic effects while maintaining the crisp definition necessary for both geometric precision and naturalistic floral modeling.
It measures approximately 48 inches from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and stands 56 inches tall (122 cm x 142 cm).