Court Lady’s Garment (Kosode) with Swallows and Bells on Blossoming Cherry Tree

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The design of this elegant garment, a type favored by aristocrats and court ladies from the late Edo (1615–1868) through the early Meiji period, is composed of a single flowering cherry tree. A red string with tiny gold bells is tied to the tree, while birds fly around its delicate blossoms and sit on the branches. The flowers and leaves are embroidered; their bright white, red, and green hues form a sharp contrast with the deep purple ground created through the use of an aniline, or chemical, dye imported from Europe.

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