Stenciled Botan 牡丹 motifs (peony) in white, Pinks, and rust decorate the this Rinzu silk Furisode. Colorful Botan motifs are featured on the side, back, and sleeves, with matched patterns that wrap around the body.  The background red is bright and colorful, with an orange base to it. Each of the handpainted Botan motifs I have delicate highlight lines of white, and the white also highlights the Beautiful green Botan leaves. The inside lining is a think white silk, and the bottom of the lining is Rinzu silk, Ombre dyed from the outside edge. 

Peonies were originally introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period, however it didn’t enter the poetic canon of flowers until the Edo period. Botan are also known as the king of flowers, and they are considered an appropriate floral offering for the Buddha. Classically, botan is associated with summer (especially early summer) as that is when the flowers bloom naturally. However, during the Edo period, cultivators created different breeds of peonies that bloom in winter, spring, and autumn as well. 

The kimono is constructed of Rinzu silk, which is first woven with a sayagata design, and then dyed.   The sayagata (紗綾形) design is derived from a traditional Buddhist swastika, which is known as a manji (卍 or 万字) in Japanese. The first kanji (卍) depicts a Buddhist manji which has the tines facing in a counterclockwise direction.  While manji will always face counterclockwise, because sayagata is made up of interlinking manji, you will see manji facing both directions in this design.  This symbol has been used since the neolithic times and across many cultures. In modern day Japan, it is used on maps as a symbol for a Buddhist temple. The second kanji (万字) means “ten thousand words.”

Condition

Excellent Condition