Meisen Kimono with Origami Cranes (Orizuru)

Japan

Not on view

This vivid robe is embellished with a design of origami cranes in a rectangular, abstract composition. Cranes are symbols of longevity and good fortune, and folding a thousand paper cranes was supposed to make a wish come true. Large-scale patterns became increasingly popular by 1941, with motifs extending as much as twenty-four inches—almost half the length of the typical kimono. The all-weft kasuri (ikat) technique allowed for the creation of large, free-form, multicolored, continuous patterns.

On view from June 7, 2022 – February 20, 2023

Meisen Kimono with Origami Cranes (Orizuru), Plain-weave silk in all-weft ikat (yokosō-gasuri), Japan

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