Nuihaku (Noh Costume)

late 17th/ early 18th century

Silk, plain weave; stamped with gold and silver leaf over adhesive (inkin); emroidered with silk in satin and couching stitches; lined with silk, plain weave

160.6 × 140.3 cm (63.2 × 55.2 in)

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Not currently on view

In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

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

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