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Japanese Two Panel Screen: Kimono On Lacquer Rack

Late 19th century kimono fabric mounted onto a screen with a painted kimono rack c. 1920. This screen is a classic Japanese motif called, Tagasode, or Whose Sleeves? By portraying a woman’s kimono elegantly draped over a lacquer kimono stand, the painting evokes images of a beautiful, refined, fashionable, and absent woman. While many people interpret this subject as lovingly longing for the missing woman, some people believe this motif has a more provocative message, inviting us to envision said woman without her clothes.