Kesa
late Edo period (1789–1868), 1800/68
Medium
Kesa: Silk and cotton; warp-float faced 2:1 ‘z’ twill weave with supplementary patterning weft floats and some supplementary wefts bound in weft-float faced 1:2 ‘s’ twill interlacings Cords: Silk, 2:2 twill square braiding; knotted Lining: Silk 5:1 twill damask weave; inscribed with India ink (sumi)
Dimensions
140.4 × 54.6 cm (55 1/4 × 21 1/2 in.) Full pattern repeat: Warp: 9.35 cm (3 7/8 in.) Weft: 10.8 cm (4 1/4 in.) Measurement Comments: 3 belts: 1) 140.7 × 6.175 cm (55 3/8 × 2 7/16 in.) 2) 32.1 × 4.8 cm (12 5/8 × 7/8 in.) 3) 31.8 × 4.8 cm (12 1/2 × 7/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
183189
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...