Large illustrated scroll on paper, with 17 sheets containing many detailed paintings & diagrams of attire for men & women at court, all mounted on pale purple silk, backed with paper.
Scroll (418 x 5420 mm.), silk brocade on outside of front endpaper, inside endpaper decorated with square-cut gold flecks. [Japan]: late Edo.
Court attire in mid-Edo Japan was a combination of Heian era (794-1185) court dress with more modern “warrior court” outfits such as hitatare 直垂, nōshi 直衣, and kamishimo 裃, each worn according to rank, setting, and ritual context. Our extremely detailed scroll depicts many kinds of aristocratic and court attire and accessories worn for these official occasions. What is so remarkable about this scroll is the number of diagrams showing — like a tailor’s pattern book — how the clothes were assembled. The 17 sheets, all numbered and each measuring ca. 374 x 267 mm., include finely drawn images in rich color and black & white diagrams. Measurements are given.
The accessories include:
WOMEN’S ATTIRE. Examples of nyokan 女官, robes worn by ladies-in-waiting, portrayed in rich color. Details of the motifs woven into the fabrics are shown in diagrams with explanations. The images show how the robes were to be layered when worn. Another sheet depicts the structure of karaginu 唐衣, short, wide-sleeved jackets worn as the final outermost layer of the jūnihitoe 十二単 (12-layer robe), the most formal court attire for noblewomen during the Heian period. Also depicted are diagrams of the parts of the hakama 袴¸ for the lower part of the woman’s body. Included are notes on appropriate combinations of colors, hair ornaments, fans, and hair styles.
MEN’S ATTIRE: Five of the sheets contain diagrams of the parts of noshi 直衣, court robes of the Heian period, and suikan 水干, a single-breasted over-robe with open sides, worn by lower-ranking Heian courtiers, along with its trousers (with another sheet devoted to large diagrams of patterns woven into the trousers’ fabric). Two sheets depict two types of the head ornament kanmuri 冠, the lacquered court cap worn by male aristocrats and officials at the Japanese imperial court, shown from different aspects. The final sheet depicts the parts of various kinds of hitatare 直垂, a two-piece samurai outfit consisting of a long-sleeved jacket with open sides and matching hakama trousers.
SWORDS & ARROWS. Two examples of a shirizaya 尻鞘 and an efu 衛府, traditional stylized scabbards for tachi swords. One is decorated with feathers and the other is lacquered and encrusted with fine gold ornaments. One sheet depicts the parts of ornamental arrows and quivers (tsubo yanagui 壺胡簶). The following sheet shows ornamental bows with tassels attached and two further types of quivers (hira yanagui 平胡簶).
FOOTWARE. Examples of inner and outer boots, with detailed notes of materials and measurements.
BELTS. Several types of belts (gyotai 魚袋, hirao 平緒, and sekitai 石帯). Each is decorated with embroidery, mineral plaques, or metalware. The belts are portrayed in different angles to reflect their complexities. Materials and measurements are given.
In fine condition. A bit of worming at bottom. Each sheet bears an unidentified seal in red.
Price: $5,500.00
Item ID: 11376
