This silk haori displays a striking bamboo motif rendered in a sophisticated silkscreen technique against a deep black ground. The design features elegant bamboo stalks in warm ochre and golden brown tones, their characteristic segmented culms creating graceful diagonal and curved lines across the garment. Delicate bamboo leaves in cream and pale yellow radiate from the stalks in naturalistic clusters, their narrow, pointed forms capturing the plant's characteristic graceful movement.
The aesthetic sensibility reflects the influence of Art Deco's geometric stylization while maintaining the traditional Japanese appreciation for natural motifs. The bold contrast between the dark background and the luminous bamboo creates a dramatic visual impact that echoes the period's modernist tendencies toward simplified forms and striking color relationships.
In Japanese symbolism, bamboo carries profound cultural significance as a representation of resilience, flexibility, and moral integrity. The plant's ability to bend without breaking in strong winds makes it a metaphor for adaptability and strength through adversity—particularly resonant themes during the challenging decades of the 1940s-1960s. Bamboo also symbolizes rapid growth, prosperity, and the gentleman's virtue of remaining humble despite success.
It measures 49 inches (125 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and stands at 39 inches (99 cm) in height.