Buddhist Vestment (Kesa) with Clematis Flowers, Leaves, and Vines

Buddhist Vestment (Kesa) with Clematis Flowers, Leaves, and Vines

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Buddhist vestments were usually made from donated textiles or from garments that were cut into pieces and then assembled into patchwork onfigurations. Such donations constitute shôgon, or adornment of the Buddha—realm, an act that results in the accumulation of karmic merit for the donor. This kesa consists of a type of cloth called karaori, in which the design is brocaded in long, floating silk wefts of many colors—nine colors in this fine example. The same kind of cloth was used for a Noh costume also called karaori, usually worn as an outer robe by an actor playing a female role.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Buddhist Vestment (Kesa) with Clematis Flowers, Leaves, and VinesBuddhist Vestment (Kesa) with Clematis Flowers, Leaves, and VinesBuddhist Vestment (Kesa) with Clematis Flowers, Leaves, and VinesBuddhist Vestment (Kesa) with Clematis Flowers, Leaves, and VinesBuddhist Vestment (Kesa) with Clematis Flowers, Leaves, and Vines

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.