Photo of collection object Woman's Robe or Kimono
Ainu. Woman's Robe or Kimono, Cotton, elm bark, 42 1/8 x 44 7/8 in. (107 x 114 cm). Gift of Herman Stutzer, 12.549d. Creative Commons-BY.

Woman's Robe or Kimono

Ainu

Asian Art

Traditional Ainu clothing is often created with attush, a light yet durable fabric made from the bark of elm trees. Its golden color provides an ideal background for bold, contrasting designs created from valuable scraps of cotton fabric and silk thread obtained from the Japanese.

These designs, found at the openings and hems of garments, serve as amulets, protecting the wearer’s body at places where evil spirits could enter. This robe shows a blocky design of rectangles covered by stitching that forms thick, curving lines that meet in sharp points. This embroidery, called ayus (Ainu for “having thorns”), adds an extra layer of protection: “thorns” that overlap the edges of the design and stick out at the corners.
Maker/Artist
Ainu
Classification
Clothing
Formatted Medium
Cotton, elm bark
Medium
cotton, elm, bark
Locations
Place made: Northern region, Japan
Dimensions
42 1/8 x 44 7/8 in. (107 x 114 cm)
Departments
Asian Art
Accession Number
12.549d
Credit Line
Gift of Herman Stutzer
Rights Statement
Creative Commons-BY
Dominant Colors

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