Art Institute of Chicago

Nuihaku (Noh Costume)

Japan

Date

18th century , Edo period (1615–1868) (additional patterning added early 19th century)

Medium

Silk, warp-float faced 4:1 satin weave; patterned with impressed gold and silver leaf; embroidered with silk in satin, single satin, and stem stitches; laid work and couching; lined with silk, plain weave

Culture

Japan

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The pattern on this robe for the Nō theater refers to the well-known Tales of Ise , which describes the travels of the famous courtier poet Ariwara no Narihira. One episode of the stories concerns Yatsuhashi (Eight-Planked Bridge). Here, the robe's pattern features the planks of the bridge that are floating in space, disconnected from one another with multicolored iries, and the water currents were added in the 19th century. When the robe was first made, the pattern had no reference to Tales of Ise .

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