Outer Robe (Uchikake) with Maple Tree and River

Outer Robe (Uchikake) with Maple Tree and River

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The colorful leaves of a maple tree with a river beneath its branches are an allusion to the Tatsuta River in Nara prefecture, famous in classical literature as a place for viewing autumn foliage, and familiar to pilgrims traveling to the Tatsuta Shrine. Chrysanthemums, besides being the representative seasonal flower, might also refer to the legend of the Chrysanthemum Boy (Kikujidō), who achieved immortality by drinking dewdrops from the flowers. This robe was prepared for a young upper-class woman. The satin damask fabric features a complex woven design of bridges, pines, and mist, while the white-spotted pattern of the water in the lower part of the textile was created by means of a technique called kanoko shibori, literally “fawn-spot tie dyeing.” The maple leaves and chrysanthemums were embroidered with silk and metallic thread.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Outer Robe (Uchikake) with Maple Tree and RiverOuter Robe (Uchikake) with Maple Tree and RiverOuter Robe (Uchikake) with Maple Tree and RiverOuter Robe (Uchikake) with Maple Tree and RiverOuter Robe (Uchikake) with Maple Tree and River

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.