Kimono for a woman
Silk-rayon blend with stencil-printed patterning (kata-yuzen)
Japan, late Taisho-early Showa period, 1920-30
Montgomery Collection

The bold arabesques that decorate this kimono reveal the influence that Art Nouveau and Art Deco had on early twentieth-century kimono design. The pattern was created by applying chemical dyes mixed with rice paste through stencils on to the surface of the woven fabric.