Over Robe (Uchikake) with Long-Tailed Birds in a Landscape
Not on view
Birds with long tails inhabit a bright landscape of waterfalls, rocks, pine trees, and cherry blossoms. Resembling auspicious motifs frequently used in China, the birds have the vivid color of pheasants and the ribbon-like tails of magpies, yet the dominance of cherry blossoms firmly places the scene in Japan. The inherent qualities of the materials, such as the lustrous white satin damask ground, and techniques, such as the long floating satin stitch embroidery, used on this uchikake increase the reflection of light and lend great radiance to the auspicious landscape. Most brilliant of all is the gold thread applied with a couching technique for the waterfalls and forceful current. In the couching technique, shiny metallic threads are laid on the surface of the fabric and stitched into place, permitting the reflection of light along the unbroken length of the waterfall.
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