Nuihaku (Noh Costume)

Nō is a Japanese form of theater that combines music, dance, and drama. This elegant nuihaku kimono has a pattern and technique traditionally associated with female roles (and occasionally male roles of very high rank) in Nō theater. The pattern consists of alternating panels of finely embroidered carnations ("pinks") and a braided fence created by stenciled impressed gold and silver lines. The garment once belonged to the So family, a warrior clan that prospered by controlling the trade between Japan and Korea.-A Global View: Recent Acquisitions of Textiles, 2012-2016, April 7-September 5, 2016