Unlined robe

19th century

This robe is an example of Okinawa bingata (paste-resist stencil) style of dyeing. Early in the 20th century, Yanagi Soetsu visited Okinawa, where the local folk crafts left an impact on him and became a central part of the formation of his Mingei theory.

Tombian-fiber cloth with paste-resist stencil decoration (Oki., bingata)

48 3/4 x 45 in. (123.83 x 114.3 cm)

Gift of the Virginia and Bagley Wright Collection

89.158

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Beyond The Tanabata Bridge: A Textile Journey In Japan (Washington, D.C., Textile Museum, Sept. 10, 1993 - Feb. 27, 1994; Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham Museum of Art, Apr. 17 - June 26, 1994; Dallas, Texas, Dallas Museum of Art, Mar. 12 - May 28, 1995). Text by Jay Rathbun. Cat. no. 67, reproduced pp. 83 (detail), 193.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Center, Harrison Street Gallery, Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival, Apr. 25 - 29, 1996.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Exceptionally Ordinary: Mingei 1920–2020, Dec. 14, 2019 - Sept. 6, 2021 [on view Dec. 14, 2019 - Mar. 21, 2021].

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