Textile with Partial Phoenix
Unknown Artist
Medium
Silk twill brocaded with silk
Dimensions
Sight: 3 1/16 x 3 1/16 in. (7.8 x 7.8 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Sue Cassidy Clark, in honor of Dr. Barbara Brennan Ford, 2008
Accession Number
2008.335.53
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of silk twill brocaded with silk, known as *Textile with Partial Phoenix*, offers a glimpse into the refined textile traditions of Japan’s Edo period (1615–1868). During this era of relative peace and prosperity, Japanese artisans perfected intricate weaving techniques to create luxurious fabrics for kimonos, ceremonial robes, and household furnishings. The small square, measuring just over three inches on each side, likely once formed part of a larger patterned garment or decorative panel, its brocaded threads adding shimmering detail against the twill ground. The part...