This vibrant kimono demonstrates the era's bold experimentation with hybrid textile techniques, combining silkscreened floral motifs with innovative stenciled background patterns to create a composition of remarkable visual complexity and decorative richness. Against a deep navy ground, large-scale magnolia and camellia blossoms burst forth in luminous whites, corals, and golden yellows, their petals rendered with dimensional shading that gives them an almost sculptural presence. The detail image reveals the sophisticated interplay between these prominent floral elements and the underlying stenciled pattern, which creates a faux-damask floral motifs in teal that add depth and visual interest without competing with the primary design elements.
The technical achievement represented here reflects the period's embrace of industrial innovation in service of traditional aesthetic goals—the silkscreen process allowed for the precise registration of multiple colors and gradations visible in the flower petals, while the stenciled background provided an efficient means of creating rich effects. The floral symbolism carries deep cultural significance, with magnolias representing nobility and perseverance, while camellias symbolize divine love and faithfulness, making this combination particularly appropriate for formal or ceremonial wear. The naturalistic rendering of these blossoms, with their carefully modulated colors and organic forms, demonstrates the influence of Western botanical illustration techniques being absorbed into Japanese decorative arts.
This kimono embodies the confident eclecticism of the Taishō era, when Japanese textile artists were successfully synthesizing traditional motifs with contemporary production methods and international design influences. The overall effect achieves a remarkable balance between decorative abundance and compositional control, with the dark background providing visual rest areas that prevent the elaborate floral display from becoming overwhelming.
It measures 49 inches (124 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and stands at 58 inches (147 cm) tall.