Kimono for a girl, plain weave silk with freehand paste-resist dyed (yūzen), Kyoto, 1800-50 Kimono for a girl of the samurai class to be worn on very formal occasions. The garment is decorated overall with a detailed landscape scene of flowers, flowing water and detail of a palatial veranda. This has been executed using a freehand paste-resist technique (yūzen), with the background being dyed a deep blue. Some of the undyed areas have been left without further embellishment to create a particular design effect known as shiroage, or 'finishing off in white' Children from samurai families would wear garments similar in patterning to those of adults. The scene on this girl's garment relates to a chapter in the celebrated 11th-century Tale of Genji. [29/02/2020]