This silk hikizuri, a geisha dancing dress, is truly remarkable, adorned with vivid hawk, wave, and pine motifs created through masterful yuzen-painting, sumi-e painting, and silk and metallic embroidery. Measuring 48 inches (122 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and standing at 67 inches (170 cm) tall, its imagery holds significance in Japan's history. The hawk and pine combination symbolizes the power and longevity associated with the Tokugawa shogunate. This feudal regime, led by the Tokugawa family, governed Japan from Edo Castle from 1603 until 1868, known as the Edo period. This era, marked by significant social, economic, and cultural developments, came to an end during the Meiji Restoration.

This artwork is featured on page 110 of Art Kimono: Aesthetic Revelations of Japan, 1905-1960. This book, published by Yorke Antique Textiles, can be previewed or purchased on our website here.

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