Theatrical skirt with designs from Buddhist jewelry

Theatrical skirt with designs from Buddhist jewelry

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The pattern of this skirt—part of a theatrical ensemble with matching jacket 30.76.22—features peony leaves and flowers on the shoulders, above a band of scrollwork that resolves into a pair of confronting dragons. The lower part of the pattern consists of suspended beads, punctuated by various auspicious motifs—endless knots, swastikas (wan in Chinese, meaning “ten thousand” and signifying eternality), bats, coins, musical stones, and ribbons. These decorations are often found on Buddhist jewelry (yingluo) usually worn by a bodhisattva.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Theatrical skirt with designs from Buddhist jewelryTheatrical skirt with designs from Buddhist jewelryTheatrical skirt with designs from Buddhist jewelryTheatrical skirt with designs from Buddhist jewelryTheatrical skirt with designs from Buddhist jewelry

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.