woman's robe, unknown maker from China

This painterly depiction of a bamboo grove appears somewhat awkward and tentative, as if the artist was experimenting with a new way of thinking about costume design. There was a strong Japanese presence in China at the time the robe was made, and the artist was probably responding to a Japanese tradition of treating the whole garment as a single canvas. Perhaps he or she had seen examples of Japanese kimono patterned with a single motif sweeping from hem to shoulder.