Kimono with Bamboo Design

Artist

Japanese (Japanese)

Date

circa 1900-1912

Medium

Silk with cotton lining

Dimensions

Work : 59 1/2 x 48 1/2 in. (1.5 x 1.2 m)

Credit Line

Hope College Collection

Object Number

2016.41

Label

While Meiji prints often portrayed people wearing the latest Western fashions, in reality clothing did not change significantly for the majority of the Japanese at that time. Many government officials, fashion-conscious women, and the educated elite began wearing Western style clothing in public, following the examples of the Emperor and Empress. At home, however, many changed back into traditional Japanese garments because Western clothing was not always suitable for Japanese living styles. The kimono was the primary garment of Japanese attire. By the Meiji era, synthetic dyes were being used widely for dyeing kimonos. Despite the often simple patterns, kimonos conveyed a complex system of messages through color, fabric, and pattern. The bamboo pattern on this man’s kimono was a symbol of strength and morality. [Madeleine Zimmerman ‘20]