Noh Costume (Chōken) with Wisteria, Waves, and Purple Bands

Noh Costume (Chōken) with Wisteria, Waves, and Purple Bands

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Late spring brings the fragrance and delicate blossoms of cascading wisteria, celebrated in Japanese poetry and frequently seen as a pattern on Noh costumes. The ornamentation of this chōken dancing cloak is especially intricate: the multicolored wisteria blooms against bold horizontal bands of purple and white, while the background consists of a subtle woven pattern of waves within opposing vertical serpentines (tatewaku).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Noh Costume (Chōken) with Wisteria, Waves, and Purple BandsNoh Costume (Chōken) with Wisteria, Waves, and Purple BandsNoh Costume (Chōken) with Wisteria, Waves, and Purple BandsNoh Costume (Chōken) with Wisteria, Waves, and Purple BandsNoh Costume (Chōken) with Wisteria, Waves, and Purple Bands

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.