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Clothing and Textiles


Clothing and Textiles



4,626 photos
"Evening bell at Mii Temple", Edo period, around 1834. The poem in the right-hand corner reads: "Lovers think: 'so begin our dawn vows' when first they hear the evening bell of Mii Temple". Tiny figures walk along a path towards the buldings clustered in the foothills of the mountains. 252 mm x 382 mm JA, 1907.5-31.591
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"Evening bell at Mii Temple", Edo period, around 1834. The poem in the right-han...

A pair of porcelain elephants, Edo period, late 17th. Pair of model elephants with tusks, wearing harnesses. Many such models of animals, such as dogs, cats, deer, boars and horses were made as ornaments for European mantle- pieces. Real elephants would not have been seen in Japan at this time and these may have been inspired by pictures of Indian processional elephants. JA,1980.3-25.1-2
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A pair of porcelain elephants, Edo period, late 17th. Pair of model elephants wi...

"The courtesans Hinazuru and Chozan", Edo period, 1784. Hinazuru models one of her fine New Year kimonos. Chozan is seated at an elegant, Chinese-style writing table checking her calligraphy primer and a copy of the clssic "Eiga Monogatari" (Tales of Glory) before writing her New Year verses of greetings on the poem slips before her. JA, 1979.3-5.0146
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"The courtesans Hinazuru and Chozan", Edo period, 1784. Hinazuru models one of...

Partridges, Edo period, 1790. A government official, Seki Mitsubumi, was visiting Nagasaki in 1789 and commissioned a resident Chinese artist to paint a set of five handscrolls, showing birds which had been imported from China in 1762 on a boat called the Hachiban (Boat No. 8).On his return to Edo, Mitsubimi showed the paintigs to the publisher Matsumoto Zembei, who decided to publish a selection as a deluxe woodblock -printed album. Masayoshi was employed to copy the Chinese artist's paintings. JA, JIB90
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Partridges, Edo period, 1790. A government official, Seki Mitsubumi, was visitin...

Lovers, from "Ten scenes of lovemaking" Edo period, around 1795-1810. Handscroll of a couple relaxing; the man leans back slightly dishevelled among the cushions, drawing on his pipe. The woman dozes across his knee, pulling her kimono up slightly to cover her face. Shun'ei avoided conventional poses in his "shunga" (spring pictures,i.e.erotica). JA JP ADD 615 (1980.3-25.04)
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Lovers, from "Ten scenes of lovemaking" Edo period, around 1795-1810. Handscrol...

"Tametomo and the inhabitants of Onigashima Island", Edo period, 1811. Two islanders tryig in vain to pull Tametomo's bowstring, while the young hero nonchalantly steadies his bow with one hand and holds a fan in the other. Minamoto no Tametomo was a real-life warrior renowned for his bowman- ship. This print is an illustration from the best-selling serial novel "Strange Tales of the Bow Moon". JA JP 1479 (1881 12-10.1747)
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"Tametomo and the inhabitants of Onigashima Island", Edo period, 1811. Two islan...

Tow men in kimonos, Edo period, 1800-1825. They wear traditional dress and zori sandals. They have formal hairstyles with shaved areas. The painting comes from a group of 17 works in an unusual Western-influenced style and were probably intended for export and were commiss- ioned by the collector Philip Franz von Siebold and others. the paintings feature domestic and street scenes, indlugin sumo wrestlers, priests, many children and also beggars. JA, JP ADD1032 (1993.12-20.01)
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Tow men in kimonos, Edo period, 1800-1825. They wear traditional dress and zori...

Courtesan in a red kimono, Edo period, 1800-1825. She stands in the upstairs room of a brothel. She wears a red outer kimono, an obi (sash) with a chrysanthemum design and a blue robe. This painting come from a series of Japanese genre scenes in an unusual Western-influenced style. They ere probably intended for export and commiss- ioned by the collector Philip Franz von Siebold and others. The paintings feature domestic and street scenes including sumo-wrestlers, children and beggars. JA,JP ADD 1032 (1933.12-20.01)
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Courtesan in a red kimono, Edo period, 1800-1825. She stands in the upstairs roo...

A courtesan reading. From "Comparisons of the beauties of the Pleasure Quarters". ID: Or 75 g 34
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A courtesan reading. From "Comparisons of the beauties of the Pleasure Quarters"...

"Courtesans of the Tamaya House" Utagawa Toyoharu (attributed to) Japan, Edo period, late 1770s or early 1780s Daily ritual in the pleasure quarter This rare six-fold screen can be firmly attributed to Utagawa Toyoharu (1735-1814) and is one of the most important surviving Ukiyo-e paintings of its period. A group of high-ranking courtesans are seated on the red carpet in the centre, surrounded by their apprentices (shinzô) arranged in pairs with matching kimonos around the walls. The women are in the harimise, the latticed display room of a brothel in the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter, where they would sit waiting for clients. It appears to be the quiet middle period of the day, and the courtesans are amusing themselves in various ways - smoking, playing the shamisen, dressing a doll. One of the teenage apprentices has dozed off. Among the lacquered accessories depicted in the front, to the right of the smoking set, is a small box decorated with the emblem of a flying crane. According to Keisei Kei, a printed guide to courtesans published by Santô Kyôden in 1788, this was a crest used by Komurasaki, a high-ranking courtesan in the house run by Tamaya Sansaburô. The name of the house appears, albeit playfully half-hidden, on the entrance curtain towards the centre back. 1441 mm x 3146 mm JA JP ADD687 (1982.7-1.02)
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"Courtesans of the Tamaya House" Utagawa Toyoharu (attributed to) Japan, Edo...

"Courtesans of the Tamaya House" Utagawa Toyoharu (attributed to) Japan, Edo period, late 1770s or early 1780s Daily ritual in the pleasure quarter This rare six-fold screen can be firmly attributed to Utagawa Toyoharu (1735-1814) and is one of the most important surviving Ukiyo-e paintings of its period. A group of high-ranking courtesans are seated on the red carpet in the centre, surrounded by their apprentices (shinzô) arranged in pairs with matching kimonos around the walls. The women are in the harimise, the latticed display room of a brothel in the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter, where they would sit waiting for clients. It appears to be the quiet middle period of the day, and the courtesans are amusing themselves in various ways - smoking, playing the shamisen, dressing a doll. One of the teenage apprentices has dozed off. Among the lacquered accessories depicted in the front, to the right of the smoking set, is a small box decorated with the emblem of a flying crane. According to Keisei Kei, a printed guide to courtesans published by Santô Kyôden in 1788, this was a crest used by Komurasaki, a high-ranking courtesan in the house run by Tamaya Sansaburô. The name of the house appears, albeit playfully half-hidden, on the entrance curtain towards the centre back. 1441 mm x 3146 mm JA JP ADD687 (1982.7-1.02)
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"Courtesans of the Tamaya House" Utagawa Toyoharu (attributed to) Japan, Edo...

"Rabbits and autumn grasses", Edo period, mid-18th century Twelve rabbits shown in different activities, mainly feeding, but also chasing each other and one climbing amorously onto another's back. This screen was probably one of a pair painted by an artist of the Rimpa school. JA, JP Add88 (1933.9-29.03)
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"Rabbits and autumn grasses", Edo period, mid-18th century Twelve rabbits shown...