19th century
Japan
Object qualities
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Objectclothes: Robe
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumCotton
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SizeH. including neckband: 47 3/8 in. (120.3 cm); W. 50 1/8 in. (127.3 cm)
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Geography details
Japan -
Country today
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Date19th century
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CultureJapan (Ainu)
Source of information
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Type of sourceDatabase “Metropolitan Museum of Art”
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Fund that the source refers toMetropolitan Museum of Art
Description
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The decoration of attush robes and those made from cotton, like this example, feature embroidery alone or both applique and embroidery. Most of the textiles applied to this robe are white, but both bright red and printed cotton were also used. The curvilinear embroidery, a comparatively fine tracery, contrasts with the wide applied bands.
Ainu girls learned embroidery designs when they were very young–perhaps by drawing the patterns in the sand, as seen in a 1799 Japanese book illustration by Murakami Shimanojo in the Hakodate Municipal Library.