Robe (Kosode) with Fishing Net and Characters

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

An asymmetrical pattern of drying fishing nets and a repeating Japanese character for “warbler” (uguisu 鶯) in highly cursive script adorns the back of this kosode (garment with small sleeve openings). Such asymmetrical designs became fashionable during the Kanbun period (1661–73), when the back of the kosode was the focal point of the composition. Illustrated pattern books (hinagata-bon) of the period show many similar designs, sweeping in a dramatic curve from the lower right hem to the upper left shoulder. In this example, the looming fishing nets seem to playfully echo the curve of the giant waves. The design is executed in blue, orange, and purple using a different type of stitched or tied resist dyeing (shibori) for each color. The details are embroidered in silk and gold thread. The foundation is an off-white silk damask woven with a repeating pattern of paulownia flowers on a geometric background of diagonal rectangles.

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