The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 24, 2025

Nō Costume (Nuihaku) with Blossoming Trees and Flowers

1675–99

Japan, Edo period

(1615–1868)
embroidery, silk and applied gold leaf on silk ground
Overall: 164 x 138 cm (64 9/16 x 54 5/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1974.36
Location: Not on view

Description

This magnificent robe was a costume specifically designed for performances of Noh theater in Japan. Originating during the 1300s from simple folk plays, Noh drama evolved into formal presentations of ritual, theater, dance, and music performed in the courts and shrines of the nobility. Stories were derived from a variety of sources—myths, legends, poetry, and prose—many dating back to the medieval period. Because great importance was placed on subtlety and elegance, plots tended to be minimal. Whether male or female all roles were played by men. Central to these performances were the masks and costumes worn by the actors. The brilliance and elegance of this robe are characteristic of costumes made solely for Noh theater. Its date in the first half of the 1700s is indicated by the proportions of the robe, the choice of embroidery stitches (satin, couching, and outline), and the absence of decoration at the hips, a fashion also reflected in kimonos at that time. The design of weeping cherry trees and irises in the snow was very likely inspired by a medieval Japanese poem. Robes decorated with embroidery against a gold ground were reserved for female roles. These robes were worn under the external garment and were only partially visible.
  • ?-1974
    (Kochukyo Co., Inc., Tokyo, Japan, ?-1974, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1974-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 1974-present
  • Lee, Sherman E. "Noh: Masks and Robe." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 62, no. 2 (February 1975): 26-35. Mentioned: p. 33-35; Reproduced: p. 34-35, figs. 12-13, Cover www.jstor.org
    Lee, Sherman E. "The Year in Review for 1974." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 62, no. 3 (March 1975): 62-103. Mentioned: p. 103 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 386 archive.org
    Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1991. p. 89
    Cunningham, Michael R. Masterworks of Asian art. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1998. Reproduced: p. 224 - 225
  • Rimpa Painting. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 19-December 17, 1989).
    Year in Review: 1974. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 11-April 6, 1975).
  • {{cite web|title=Nō Costume (Nuihaku) with Blossoming Trees and Flowers|url=false|author=|year=1675–99|access-date=24 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1974.36