Piece from a Robe (Kosode) with Maple Leaves, Curtain, and Large Drum

Piece from a Robe (Kosode) with Maple Leaves, Curtain, and Large Drum

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Even in the absence of any figures, the pictorial design on this textile can be tentatively identified as the autumn excursion to the Suzaku Palace in chapter 7 of The Tale of Genji. Here, the scene is set for Genji’s dance: it is performed within an enclosed curtained space under brilliant maple leaves with a drum accompaniment. A stairway and post suggest palace architecture.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Piece from a Robe (Kosode) with Maple Leaves, Curtain, and Large DrumPiece from a Robe (Kosode) with Maple Leaves, Curtain, and Large DrumPiece from a Robe (Kosode) with Maple Leaves, Curtain, and Large DrumPiece from a Robe (Kosode) with Maple Leaves, Curtain, and Large DrumPiece from a Robe (Kosode) with Maple Leaves, Curtain, and Large Drum

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.