Noh costume (Hitatare)
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Resist-dyed and painted plain-weave bast fiber, probably ramie
Dimensions
Jacket: 40 1/2 x 82 3/8 in. (102.9 x 209.2 cm) Trousers: 40 x 36 in. (101.6 x 91.4 cm)
Classification
Costumes
Culture
Japan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2002
Accession Number
2002.385a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 19th-century N costume, known as a *hitatare*, hails from Japan and represents the refined artistry of traditional theater. Noh drama, a UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage, dates back to the 14th century but flourished with elaborate costumes like this into the Edo period (1603–1868). The *hitatare*—typically worn by warrior or aristocratic roles—consists of a wide-sleeved jacket and loose trousers, designed for dramatic movement on stage. Crafted for the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Friends of Asian Art in 2002, it measures an impressive 40½ by 82⅜ inches ...