Fireman's jacket, plastron and sash

Fireman's jacket, plastron and sash

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This set of garments was for a samurai firefighter. It is made of a very delicate and finely woven silk; inside the right sleeve is a partial seal in black ink that reads kinu Echi, possibly referring to this cloth as a product of Echigo province. The family crest here is paired fronds of Japanese ginger (myoga) belonging to an unidentified family.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fireman's jacket, plastron and sashFireman's jacket, plastron and sashFireman's jacket, plastron and sashFireman's jacket, plastron and sashFireman's jacket, plastron and sash

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.