Japanese Firefighter Kimono "hikeshi-banten" - Meiji Period (1868-1912).

JAPAN - Meiji period (1868-1912). HIKESHI BANTEN - Japanese firefighter's kimono jacket, made from a thick quilted and stitched cotton fabric (sashiko) designed to be filled with water to protect its wearer from the burning of the flames. It is decorated using the tsutsugaki technique, a freehand resist dyeing process on an indigo background, with a full-length figure of a hero perched on a dragon in the clouds. Very good general condition, slight wear from use at the nape of the neck. Dimensions: 122 x 119 cm. Notes: Firefighters played a vital role in the cities of the Edo period, which were regularly devastated by fires. The rudimentary material conditions of their interventions meant that they were perceived as true heroes ready to sacrifice themselves for the community.