The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Summer Kimono with Cherry and Plum Blossoms

1926–59?

Japan, Shōwa period

(1926–89)
Silk; leno weave with tie-dye
Gift of John C. Weber 2020.429
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Karamiori, or leno weave, textiles were introduced to Japan from China in the 700s.

Description

This summer-wear kimono has a bold, tie-dyed pattern in white of cherry and plum blossoms within red rings on a black ground. The weaving technique used is called leno and was introduced to Japan from China in the 700s. It produces a textile that is at once very breathable and stable. The twisted-warp (vertical) threads hold the weft (horizontal) threads like a vise and keep them spaced farther apart, so more air can pass through. The garment is an example of the continued utility of ancient weaving techniques in the modern era.
  • ?–March 19, 1998
    Ms. Fifi White, Asiatica, Kansas City, KS, sold to John C. Weber
    March 19, 1998–2020
    John C. Weber, New York, NY, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    2020–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Burnham, Dorothy K. Warp & Weft: A Dictionary of Textile Terms. New York: Scribner, 1981. p. 63
    Wada, Yoshiko Iwamoto, Mary Kellogg Rice, and Jane Barton. Shibori: The Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing : Tradition, Techniques, Innovation. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 1983. p. 83
    Yang, Sunny, and Rochelle M. Narasin. Textile Art of Japan. Tokyo, Japan: Shufunotomo/Japan Publications, 1989. p. 45
  • Modern Japan. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 14, 2022-June 18, 2023).
  • {{cite web|title=Summer Kimono with Cherry and Plum Blossoms|url=false|author=|year=1926–59?|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2020.429