MEN’S KIMONO
Threads of Life, Tales of Style

From 5 December 2025 to 19 April 2026
Venice, Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo

Curated by
Lydia Manavello
Silvia Vesco

In collaboration with
Museo d’Arte Orientale Venezia

The exhibition, Men’s Kimono. Threads of Life, Tales of Style, focuses on the decorative schema observed in early twentieth-century male kimonos. This ornamentation functions as a compelling and intricate narrative source, offering valuable data on Japanese art, history, and social life.

Characterized by external sobriety juxtaposed with intricate internal detail, these everyday male garments represent a significant component of the vast Japanese textile tradition.
They delineate a veiled cultural sphere, typically concealed from public view and accessible exclusively within the private domestic context. The sophisticated imagery—whether suggestive, descriptive, minutely elaborated, or minimally sketched in ink, through skillful weaving or painting techniques—documents the culture of Japan. Such iconography encompasses themes ranging from literature and military history to the natural world and philosophical-religious concepts. In addition, specific, intriguing illustrations relating to sport, contemporary affairs, and technological advancements serve to celebrate modernity, thereby establishing a direct and unanticipated linkage with the Western cultural sphere.

The singular nature and intrinsic value of these garments necessitated the development of an exhibition dedicated to presenting and underscoring their historical, anthropological, and artistic significance. The selected kimonos date from the first half of the twentieth century, a pivotal juncture in Japanese history. During this era, Japan vigorously asserted its national identity and projected a revised global image, assuming a key role within the international geopolitical framework.

The exhibition makes a significant contribution to scholarship concerning Far Eastern art, emphasizing the aesthetic quality of both the singular garment and the collective value of the curated selection. The subsequent exhibition itinerary is systematically structured into nine thematic sections. This progression incorporates artifacts loaned by the Museo d’Arte Orientale di Venezia, a substantial segment dedicated to textile and decorative techniques, and specialized educational initiatives developed ad hoc. The primary objective is to appeal to and engage both specialized experts and a broader audience of scholars and cultural enthusiasts, thereby furnishing a valuable platform for both knowledge acquisition and academic inquiry.

Admission to the exhibition with the Museum’s hours and ticket.

NOTE: We inform our visitors that taking photographs of the garments on display is not permitted.

This project is the result of a collaborative endeavor involving several key institutional figures: Dr. Chiara Squarcina, Scientific Director of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and Director of the Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo – Center for the Study of the History of Textiles, Costume and Perfume; Prof. Silvia Vesco, Lecturer in the History of Japanese Art at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice; Dr. Lydia Manavello, an established expert who provided pieces from her private kimono collection; and Dr. Marta Boscolo Marchi, Director of the Museo d’Arte Orientale di Venezia, who was responsible for selecting the museum’s artifacts to complement the chosen garments.