Buddhist Vestment (Kesa)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This patchwork-patterned Japanese Buddhist vestment (kesa) was made from Chinese cloth intended for the European market. The primary textile attempts to emulate European lace-patterned woven silks, but the composition is somewhat awkward compared to actual European examples. The six red squares—with their dragon roundels, clouds, and flowers—are more characteristically Chinese in style. While the European style of the cloth is unexpected, the Japanese had been using exotic Chinese textiles for kesa for centuries. cat. no. 62

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art