Woman’s robe decorated with crane medallions

Woman’s robe decorated with crane medallions

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Each of the round medallions on this robe features a red-crowned crane, a symbol of longevity, carrying in its beak a lingzhi fungus, another symbol of long life. These are surrounded by a ring of bottle gourds (good fortune and professional success) and bats (good fortune). Worn on a special occasion, this robe would have virtually glowed with auspicious meaning.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Woman’s robe decorated with crane medallionsWoman’s robe decorated with crane medallionsWoman’s robe decorated with crane medallionsWoman’s robe decorated with crane medallionsWoman’s robe decorated with crane medallions

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.