Subject: 侍 samurai warrior

Culture: Japanese

Setting: Tokugawa shogunate, Japan 17th-mid 19thc

Object: 上下 kamishimo costume = 着物 kimono robe, dofuku jacket, 浴衣 yukata bathrobe, kataginu vest, obi sash, 袴 hakama trousers

Kimbell Art Museum > Passport to Asia *

"Kamishimo Japan, Edo period (1603-1868) Silk

The mon is the only motif immediately recognizable on this kamishimo.

Originally worn by the shogun, it was reserved for use by the samurai.

This two-piece vestment created a distinctive silhouette due to the rigidity of the tissue,

a pleated ramie used to construct the upper portion (kateginu) and the pantaloons (hakama).

The actual decoration of this kamishimo consists of thousands of white spots,

which suggest a hail storm, a metaphor for the power of the warrior."

* MenCos

> event photos

* Harwood International > Marie

"Dofuku (jacket) Japanese, Edo period, 17th century Doeskin

Samurai warriors dominated Japan for nearly a millennium, playing an important role in the course of the country's history.

From their initial role as defenders of provincial lands, the samurai evolved to become the cultured elite of Japanese society.

"This leather jacket, known as a dofuku, is made of doeskin that has been smoked to create the tan color. The areas that appear white

were covered with a special paste, shielding the leather beneath from the smoking process and maintaining the colorless appearance.

A coat like this would have been worn by a samurai during his travels -- possibly to and from the capital city of Edo, present day Tokyo.

"The mon, family crest, of two crossed feathers may have been that of the Asano family. The Asano were a prominent samurai family, descendants of the legendary Minamoto clan, who were central in the historical event of the Forty-Seven Ronin in 1703." ...

event photos <

* Kimbell Art Museum > Passport to Asia

"Hitatare and matching hakama Japan, Edo period (1603-1868) Silk

The hitatare is composed of a vest tucked into pantaloons (hakama). It was originally worn under the armor but was later adopted by samurai

for civil use. The decoration consists of rows of chrysanthemums that alternate with white medallions against a background of clouds.

The palette of green, white, and violet against beige is also used in the silk cording, which adds an additional note of color."

Dallas Museum of Art - UTD > Indigo Threads *

"Informal man's jacket or summer kimono with abstract design, 19th century Ramie dyes Japanese, Meiji period (1868-1912) ...

The patterns on this kimono are somewhat abstract but still identifiable as motifs derived from nature.

The contrast of white against the deep indigo lends both depth and movement to the eye-catching pattern,

beckoning viewers in for a closer look at the enigmatic designs."

* Dallas Museum of Art - UTD > Indigo Threads

"Shirushi-banten (insignia jacket), early 20th century Cotton, paste resist, indigo, red and grey pigments Japanese ...

The back of this jacket is decorated with four tendrils of wisteria blossoms, set amid trailing vines and leaves. Centered among the wisteria is the character mori (woods), which could refer to either the business at which the wearer was employed or the town in which it was worn, likely for a festival. Wisteria blossoms are associated with longevity, success, and good fortune in Japan, making them a popular motif for many artistic mediums, from ceramics to textiles. The sawtooth borders along the bottom hem and the edges of the sleeves recall the Japanese character for mountain (yama), which is where one can often find wild wisteria, hanging from the branches of pine trees."

Dallas Museum of Art - UTD > Indigo Threads *

"Informal jinbei (short robe) with ikat designs of wisteria, falcons, and eggplants, late 19th to early 20th century

Bast fiber (hemp or ramie), yarn, cotton, indigo Japanese ... This type of thin informal jacket was worn without a sash

and would have been used at home during the hot summer months. A white lattice pattern overlays a repeated motif of wisteria, falcons,

and eggplants arranged in and near baskets. This is the hatsuyume or 'first dream' motif -- if one's first dream in the New Year was of Mt. Fuji,

falcons, and eggplants, one could expect good fortune for the upcoming year. In this case, the wisteria serves as a visual pun.

'Wisteria' in Japanese is fuji, referring to the mountain in a playful twist and completing the hatsuyume motif's triad of images via wordplay."