This haori showcases a fascinating blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics and design elements that would later emerge in Western modernist movements. The dominant feature is a sophisticated checkerboard pattern created through yuzen-painting, composed of squares in earth tones – olive green, ochre, terracotta, gray, and deep black. The checkerboard pattern, known as ichimatsu in Japanese, is a classic motif in Japanese design, often associated with Kabuki theater and traditional textiles. This geometric arrangement creates a subtle optical illusion of undulation that bears a remarkable similarity to Op Art techniques that would emerge in the West during the 1960s, though this Japanese textile art, as previously mentioned, predates that movement.

The placement of the ethereal Heian-era noble figures, rendered in metallic thread, appears to float across this geometric backdrop like clouds or apparitions. Their silvery, translucent quality creates a dreamy, supernatural effect that recalls the yamato-e style of classical Japanese painting. These figures add a layer of historical and cultural depth to the piece, while their abstract, simplified forms show an artistic sensibility that would later be reflected in Art Nouveau's flowing, decorative lines and Art Deco's embrace of stylized figures.

The color palette is particularly sophisticated, employing what appears to be a deliberately restrained range of earth tones that creates a sense of refinement and subtlety characteristic of Japanese aesthetic principles. This approach to color harmony, where muted tones are used in a carefully balanced composition, predates but parallels similar explorations in Western Abstract Expressionism, particularly in its color field variations. The overall effect creates a remarkable tension between the geometric precision of the checkerboard and the ethereal, floating quality of the figures, embodying the Japanese aesthetic principle of contrasting elements existing in harmonious balance.

 Dimensions: 48inches (122 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and 38 inches (97 cm) in height.

‍

‍