Robe with Tanzaku and Shikishi Poem Cards

Robe with Tanzaku and Shikishi Poem Cards

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The bluish-grey crepe silk kimono is decorated with colorful poem cards along the hem. The cards—elongated tanzaku and square shikishi—are depicted as an impressive collection that has just been scattered in front of someone to make a selection. Some bear inscriptions in a wide variety of calligraphic styles, while others are uninscribed. Still others are depicted upside down. The poem cards display a wide variety of motifs, including flowers, maple leaves, waves, or pine needles, in imitation of actual cards. Some are embellished with gold flakes, replicating the decoration of the elegant calligraphy papers.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Robe with Tanzaku and Shikishi Poem CardsRobe with Tanzaku and Shikishi Poem CardsRobe with Tanzaku and Shikishi Poem CardsRobe with Tanzaku and Shikishi Poem CardsRobe with Tanzaku and Shikishi Poem Cards

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.