Descending Geese at Mimeguri

The 19th century saw a remarkable change in women's fashion mostly because of the two major social reforms instituted by the government in the 1790s and the 1840s. These reforms enforced sumptuary edicts aimed at the overly opulent lifestyles of the commoners. While fashions became noticeably more conservative after these reforms, prints like this one demonstrate the abiding interest in fashion. This rare print, the right sheet of a triptych, shows a woman wearing kimono in subdued orange color with a rather simple pattern. Although her outer robe is relatively quiet, her obi sash looks like silk embroidery. The black lining of her outer robe has the same pattern of her purple inner robe, creating a beautiful layered effect at the hem. The black collar band, which was originally used to keep the collars from getting stained by sweat and makeup, became a chic way for women to tone down their look in the early 19th century.