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Paper short abstract

The Manggha Museum of Japanese Art & Technology collection includes a unique red kimono. This garment is depicted in one of the most iconic paintings of Polish Japonism, Józef Pankiewicz's “Japanese Women” (1908). The presentation discusses analogue and digital methods for reconstructing the kimono.

Paper long abstract

The Manggha Museum of Japanese Art & Technology in Kraków houses a unique red kimono in its collection. This garment is depicted in one of the most iconic paintings of Polish Japonism, "Japanese Women" by Józef Pankiewicz (1908). We can hypothesise that the kimono played a significant role in the reception of Japanese art in Central Europe. Once an inspiration for painters, the kimono now serves as a foundation for research into traditional Japanese clothing. Through collaboration between the Manggha Museum and the Polish-Japanese Academy of IT, the kimono is being physically and digitally reconstructed.

Additionally, a media presentation of this object is in development. The original garment is crafted from rinzu silk, hand-woven in a damask weave. This technique creates a striking contrast between the shiny background and the matte pattern. The decoration features a geometric sayagata pattern, enhanced by bouquets of orchids and chrysanthemums. Notably, this type of kimono, known as an uchikake, is not worn with a sash, allowing the rich decoration and delicate patterns to adorn the entire garment. The uchikake in this collection is a wedding outfit. Another kimono with the same pattern, but in black and dating back to the early 19th century, is part of the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Additional examples can be found in the collection of Joshibi University of Art and Design in Tokyo. Contemporary museums are incorporating augmented reality (AR), digital 3D models, touch screens, high-resolution LED displays, and interactive installations to enhance their exhibits. This approach enables them to superimpose digital content onto physical artefacts and utilise animations and virtual reconstructions of objects. The collaboration mentioned above aims to create digital applications focused on Jasieński's kimono. As this work progresses, a key research question is whether digitising tangible cultural heritage may dilute the richness and significance of the traditional practices associated with physical artefacts.

The authors of the presentation plan to analyse both physical and digital conservation methods and to explore the principles that should guide designers in digitally processing phenomena and objects of cultural heritage significance.