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Unknown Maker, Japanese

Nō Theater Costume (Karaori)

Maker

Unknown Maker, Japanese

Culture

Japanese, Edo

Title

Nō Theater Costume (Karaori)

Period

Edo Period

Year

late 1700s-early 1800s

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

silk, gilt paper

Geography

Place Made: Japan

Dimensions

Center back length: 147.7 cm (58 1/8 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich

Object Number

35.474

Type

Publications

  • Books

Patterns and Poetry: Nō Robes from the Lucy Truman Aldrich Collection

No robes from the Lucy Truman Aldrich Collection at the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design. A beautiful and informative publication on the RISD Museum's collection of costumes for the Japanese No theater. This collection, arguably the finest in the United States, was assembled largely on the spot in Japan during the 1920's by Rhode Islander Lucy Truman Aldrich, sister-in-law of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The 47 robes came to the Museum by gift and bequest from Miss Aldrich herself and represent all categories of No costume. Four essays document the history of the collection, including Miss Aldrich's encounter with Chinese bandits; poetic allusion in the imagery of the robes; the traditional methods of making No robes; and the evolution of No costume over 650 years. Individual entries with color illustrations discuss each of the 47 objects.

Susan Anderson Hay, Curator of Costumes and Textiles, RISD Museum of Art Monica Bethe, Independent Scholar, Japan Helen M. Nagata, former Curator of Asian Art, RISD Museum of Art Iwao Nagasaki, Curator and Scholar at the National Museum, Tokyo, Japan

Exhibition History

Woven with Silk
Rockefeller Asian Textiles
Jun 10, 2014 – Mar 08, 2015
Nuance in Nature
Birds and Flowers in Japanese Textile Design
Feb 16, 2007 – Jul 08, 2007

Label copy

One of the “four princes” in Japanese art, the chrysanthemum has many superstitions associated with it and was the subject of many sumptuary laws: only royal persons were allowed to wear its image. It is one of the most popular motifs for crests, and after a period of time its use was allowed beyond the imperial family. The chrysanthemum resembles the sun, and the depiction of the flower as sun is an ancient design motif. It is associated with long life and purity, and because of its beauty there was a tradition in Japan of holding chrysanthemum-viewing parties during autumn. Coupled with bamboo as it is here, it becomes a sign of endurance throughout the seasons. The karaori was reserved mainly for female roles, but could also be worn by sprites and as an underrobe for young courtier-warriors.

The Woven Image
Sep 24, 1997 – Dec 07, 1997
Patterns and Poetry
Noh Robes from the Lucy Truman Aldrich Collection
Oct 21, 1994 – Jan 22, 1995
Japanese No Robes
Oct 10, 1986 – Nov 04, 1987

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Japanese
Nō Theater Costume (Karaori), late 1700s-early 1800s
Silk, gold-leaf gilt paper; twill weave, continuous supplementary weft, discontinuous supplementary-weft patterning
Center back length: 147.7 cm (58 1/8 inches)
Gift of Miss Lucy T. Aldrich 35.474

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