Paper coat
19th - 20th century
This paper coat is fashioned out of recycled woodblock prints, which were produced in large numbers. The utensils featured in these illustrations—a Noh mask, folding screen, books, inkstone, fan, scissors, and various other objects—were created by the renowned lacquer artist Shibata Zeshin (1807–1891). The garment’s delicacy and its designs suggest that it was worn by a learned person, perhaps an artist or scholar living in a cultural center such as Tokyo.
Paper and silk cloth with paint (lining)
36 5/8 x 48 1/2 in. (93.03 x 123.19 cm)
Gift of the Christensen Fund
2001.431
