Artwork
Obi
Artist
Ichizo Hasegawa
DepartmentAsian Art
CultureJapanese
Dateca. 1930
MediumEmbroidered silk
Dimensions163 × 27 1/4 in. (414 × 69.2 cm)
Credit LineSan Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Igor von Nimitz
Object number2021.12
GeographyGeneral regionJapan, Asia
DescriptionAn Obi is a heavy sash, usually about 10 inches wide, that is used to wrap around the waist of a woman dressed in kimono. This Obi was woven on a Jaquard loom to produce complex brocade designs. The textile is double the width of an obi, (maru obi) but folded in half to wear as a kimono sash. It was made in pre-war Japan, and represents an older Edo period tradition that is much less common today. The textile is complete with the name of the maker, Hasegawa Ichizō, who is recorded in documents from 1939 as be Chairman of the Nishijin Weaving Industry Association. Nishijin is the name of the finest silk weavers in Kyoto, and the position was undoubtedly very prestigious. This is an unusual example of a “signed “ textile.Label TextAn obi is a heavy sash worn around the waist over a kimono. This obi was woven on a Jaquard loom, a device invented in France in 1803 that uses punch cards to create complex designs such as the fans, dice game, wrapped boxes, and phoenix seen here. This obi is an example of international cultural exchange and the advancement of technology in the nineteenth century.
(ES, 2023)Exhibition Historyn/aMarkingsMade by Nishijin Hasegawa IchizoNot on view
Collections
William Currie
Culture: Irish
ca. 1734
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
