Kesa
First half of the 19th century, Late Edo period (1789–1868)
Medium
Silk and gilt-paper strip; twill weave with secondary binding warps and supplementary patterning wefts; silk tassels
Dimensions
150.4 × 213.3 cm (59 1/4 × 84 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
183121
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The fabric for this trapezoidal robe made for the Jodo sect is a famous type known in Japan as nishiki kinran a brocade that combines silk in various rich colors (nishiki) with flat gilt-paper thread (kinran). The pattern combines two types of dragons with two types of cloud designs in a Chinese manner. An inscription on the lining records that the robe was donated to the temple on February 14th (no year cited) by the presiding priest, a member of the 23rd generation of the family that owned the...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...