2 Meisen Floral Haoris, Japan, 20th C. The textiles, lined with silk, come in two sizes: 1) 32'' x 49'' (81 x 124 cm) and 2) 29'' x 43'' (74 x 109 cm). In Japan, commoners were prohibited from wearing silk until the 1860s and instead wore coarse cloth made from hemp or other plant fibers. However, once they were permitted to wear silk, the demand for patterned silk surged. To meet this demand, the kasuri (ikat) technique, which was costly and labor-intensive, needed to be replaced. The Meisen method was developed for this purpose. In this technique, instead of tie-dyeing, silk was woven on mechanized looms, and before weaving, the yarns were stenciled and printed to achieve the ikat effect. The Meisen technique gained popularity at the beginning of the 20th century but declined after World War II when Japanese women began adopting Western clothing styles.Provenance: Ex Yosi Barzilai collection.

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