Priest's Robe
Unknown Artist
Medium
Silk / Brocade:Nishiki
Dimensions
44 x 78 in. (111.76 x 198.12 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Costumes
Culture & Period
Japan · Momoyama period (1573–1615)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1919
Accession Number
19.93.55
Art Historical Context
This stunning Priest's Robe from Momoyama period (157–1615) exemplifies the era's lavish aesthetic, when warlords like Toyotomi Hideyoshi opulent art to symbolize power and prosperity. Crafted from silk brocade known as *nishiki*—a technique featuring intricate, multicolored patterns woven with supplementary wefts a rich, tapestry-like texture—this garment measures an impressive 44 x 78 inches, draping dramatically over a Buddhist priest's form. *Nishiki* brocade, prized for its shimmering gold threads and floral motifs, represented the pinnacle of Japanese textile artistry, often reserved fo...