This meisen rayon kimono has a design featuring a delightful juxtaposition of chrysanthemum blossoms and paper balloons (kamifusen) against a rich burgundy ground, creating a composition that bridges the gap between classical floral motifs and playful contemporary elements. The chrysanthemums, rendered in teal and burgundy tones, maintain their traditional significance as symbols of longevity and nobility, while the cheerful paper balloons in golden yellow, cream, and brown introduce a note of childhood nostalgia and festival joy.
The meisen technique, with its characteristic slightly blurred edges and vibrant color saturation, transforms these motifs into something approaching folk art or textile illustration. The paper balloon motif is particularly significant as it evokes summer festivals, children's games, and the ephemeral pleasures of seasonal celebrations, suggesting a garment designed for someone who embraced both tradition and modernity with equal enthusiasm. The balloons' simple geometric forms provide visual counterpoint to the organic complexity of the chrysanthemums, creating a dynamic rhythm across the textile surface.
This kimono represents the optimistic spirit of 1930s Japan, when technological innovation in textile production coincided with a cultural moment of relative prosperity and social mobility. The combination of noble chrysanthemums with whimsical toy balloons suggests a wearer who was confident enough to mix high and low cultural references, embodying the period's fascinating synthesis of reverence for tradition with embrace of contemporary pleasures. The overall effect is both sophisticated and approachable, reflecting the era's belief that beauty and elegance could be accessible to a broader segment of society through industrial innovation and creative design.
The measurements span 45 inches (114 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and stand at 58 inches (147 cm) in height.