Bowler Hat

Hayakawa Shōkosai I Japanese

Not on view

Among the more unusual works by Hayakawa Shōkosai I is a Western‑style rattan bowler hat made with mat plaiting (gozame‑ami) and other traditional techniques. Favored by Ichikawa Danjūrō IX (1838–1903), the greatest Meiji‑period star of the Kabuki theater, Shōkosai’s hats are a great example of the careful balance he struck between the complex Chinese techniques and his own innovations inspired by Japanese art and Western culture.

Bowler Hat, Hayakawa Shōkosai I (Japanese, 1815–1897), Timber bamboo, rattan, and brocaded silk, Japan

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Bowler Hat, Hayakawa Shōkosai I (Japanese, 1815–1897), Timber bamboo, rattan, and brocaded silk, Japan
Bowler Hat, Hayakawa Shōkosai I (Japanese, 1815–1897), Timber bamboo, rattan, and brocaded silk, Japan

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