Veil kimono (kazuki)

late 18th century

A veil kimono was worn like a veil draped over a woman’s head to cover her face during outings. It not only provided protection from the sun but also was in accord with the etiquette for upper-class women in premodern times. This piece, decorated with striking patterns, is from Yamagata prefecture in northern Japan.

Bast fiber (asa) cloth with free hand paste-resist decoration (tsutsugaki) and paste-resist stencil decoration (katazome)

58 1/2 x 47 1/8 in. (148.59 x 119.7 cm)

Gift of the Virginia and Bagley Wright Collection

89.95

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).

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Indigo, May 9 - Oct. 19, 2003.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing [on view beginning Aug. 3, 2022].

Published ReferencesRathbun, William Jay, Seattle Art Museum, "Beyond The Tanabata Bridge: Traditional Japanese Textiles", 1993 Seattle, Washington, pg. 138

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